Vietnam Celebrates 100th Birth Anniversary of First Female Philosophy Professor, Lê Thi

Hanoi, Vietnam – A solemn ceremony was held in Hanoi on June 3, 2026, to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Professor Lê Thi, a pioneering figure in Vietnamese academia and the nation's first female professor of philosophy. The event, organized by the Institute of Philosophy under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, also saw the launch of a memoir dedicated to her life.

The memoir, titled "My Mother - The Woman Who Raised the National Flag," was compiled by Dr. Lê Minh Quốc. Professor Lê Thi, whose birth name was Dương Thị Thoa, was the daughter of Professor Dương Quảng Hàm, the former principal of Chu Văn An High School. In her youth, she was chosen to represent Hanoi female students in raising the national flag on Independence Day, alongside soldier Đàm Thị Loan.

Professor Lê Thi dedicated 27 years of her career, from 1961 to 1988, to the Institute of Philosophy. During her tenure, she held significant positions, including deputy director, acting director, and eventually director, also serving as editor-in-chief of the Philosophy Journal. She described her work in philosophy as challenging, particularly research into historical materialism, which required navigating complex requirements alongside heavy administrative duties. Despite these difficulties, her passion for science drove her to meticulously manage her time and complete research projects, including reports for the Fifth Party Congress.

Academics at the commemoration recognized Professor Lê Thi's visionary approach and pioneering spirit, particularly in her contributions to establishing the Center for Research on Family and Women's Issues in 1987, now the Institute for Human Studies, Family, and Gender. Drawing from her experience as a women's movement cadre and her service on the Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee for two terms, she believed that scientific research was essential to effectively advance women's causes in Vietnam. She initiated research projects on women, labor, and employment, receiving strong support from prominent figures like Nguyễn Thị Định, former President of the Vietnam Women's Union, and the Head of the Social Sciences Committee.

In 1992, Lê Thi was awarded the title of Professor of Philosophy, solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer for women in Vietnamese higher education.

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Nghiên cứu triết học có nhiều khó khăn, nghiên cứu về duy vật lịch sử lại đòi hỏi những yêu cầu riêng phức tạp hơn, tôi lại phải đảm nhiệm nhiều công tác quản lý khoa học, hành chính sự vụ nặng nề. Nhưng với lòng yêu khoa học, tôi quyết tâm hết sức tranh thủ thời gian, sắp xếp công việc khoa học để có thể hoàn thành một số công trình nghiên cứu về duy vật lịch sử, làm một số báo cáo khoa học, đặc biệt là thời điểm năm 1981 để phục vụ chuẩn bị Đại hội V của Đảng, chú ý đi vào một số chuyên đề mình có điều kiện tích lũy tư liệu, đã có vốn lý luận