Alexandra Gripenberg, born in 1857, was a Finnish social activist, author, editor, newspaper publisher, and elected politician. She was born in Finland to a Swedish-speaking family. Gripenberg was known as a Fennoman, this refers to a member of the Fennoman movement, who advocated for Finnish nationalism and cultural identity. Through this, Gripenberg promoted the use of the Finnish language, literature, and traditions as a means of asserting Finnish autonomy and independence from Russian and Swedish influence. In 1884 Helsinki, Gripenberg established the first official women's rights organization in Finland, the Suomen Naisyhdistys (Finnish Women's Association). She was a prominent figure in this organization and was extremely committed as she traveled aboard to England and the United States, to study lessons from the women's movements of those countries. This journey, prompted her book, ‘A Half Year in the New World’ published in 1889 and her founding of the Finnish women's magazines, Koti ja Yhteiskunta, which was published until December 1911. After Finland granted women's suffrage in 1906, Gripenberg was one of the nineteen women elected in 1907, making her one of the first women to get elected into the Parliament of Finland. As a politician, Gripenberg actively campaigned for legislative changes to improve the status of women in Finland, although she faced difficulties being Swedish speaking. All in all, Gripenberg died in 1913, however her career as a social activist, author, and politician has left a strong impact on Finnish society.

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