Claire Winlow-Vostrovsky
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Claire Winlow-Vostrovsky | |
|---|---|
Klára Winlow-Vostrovská | |
 Winlow in 1920 | |
| Born | October 27, 1871 West Point, Nebraska, United States |
| Died | Chico, California, United States |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | Stanford University (graduated 1895) |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
| Occupations | Author, educator, librarian, translator, journalist |
| Years active | 1930s |
Claire Winlow-Vostrovsky (Czech: Klára Winlow-Vostrovská; October 27, 1871 – March 5, 1963) was a Czech-American author, educator, librarian, and advocate for Czech culture in the United States. She wrote children's books in the Our Little Cousin series, introducing young American readers to various European cultures, including those of Bohemia, Finland, Romania, and others. Winlow was recognized as the first Czech-American woman to earn a university degree and actively promoted Czech history and literature through lectures and translations.[1][2]
Winlow was born on October 27, 1871, in West Point, Nebraska, to Czech immigrant parents Jaroslav (Jerome) Vostrovský (1836–1901), originally from eastern Bohemia, and Anna Vostrovská (1839–1922). She grew up in a Czech family alongside her older sister Anna, who later married Czech-American historian Tomáš Čapek, and younger brother Jeremy. The family relocated several times before settling in San Jose, California, in 1883, where her father's home became a center for local Czech expatriate life.[1][2]
Winlow attended Stanford University in the early 1890s and graduated in 1895, becoming the first Czech-American woman to achieve a university education.[1]
Career
After graduation, Winlow taught at high schools in northern California. In the early 20th century, she moved to southern California and was appointed head of the foreign language department at the Los Angeles Public Library, overseeing publications in languages of immigrant communities, including Czech. During and after World War I, she promoted Czech traditions in Los Angeles as a member of organizations such as the Southern California Press Club, Story Tellers’ League, and Ruskin Art Club, giving lectures on Czech history, culture, and literature.[2]
