This day in Russian history and the History of the world.

February 26

February 26, 1869: The birth date of Nadezhda Konstantinovna Krupskaya, Russian revolutionary, Lenin's wife. Krupskaya supported Lenin all his life and was then the author of the biography Reminiscences of Lenin, which chronicles the life of her husband.

We refer to Nadezhda Krupskaya as Lenin's wife, yet this Russian woman had interesting personality and great intelligence. Krupskaya's influence made a huge change in the Soviet Library systems.

She encouraged female education in the USSR, improved and promoted mass use of libraries. Between 1928 and 1933 there was a rise from 58-90 literacy and even still she pushed for better quality.

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