American journalist and writer that has done an indefatigable and wide civic and cultural work. Born at Ibiquiu, New Mexico, a small Hispanic community, she was interested since she was a little girl in Latin matters and Spanish language.

Graduated as Journalist at the Columbia University of New York, she began to work as correspondent in various journals and she was editor of specialized magazines, for instance 'Hemispherica' dedicated for more than 25 years to the Latin American unity.

Executive Director and Vice President of the Roerich Museum in New York. In 1928 joined an expedition in Tibet and when she returned she wrote many articles and works about her works in the field of comparative culture.

Some American organizations entrusted her to travel to Latin America in order to start an inter American cooperation plan, which started in 1929 with outstanding results.

Once she returned she founded the Pan American Woman Association (PAWA) institution that helped to the exaltation of the culture and art of native people, cultural interchange and women development.

In her second trip, her work as representative of the pan American cultural relationships resulted in the later unanimous signing of a Cultural and Peace Treaty in 1935 by the 21 nations of the Pan American Union.

In several travels, She visited all countries in Latin America. Being lecturer guest in the main educative and cultural centers, interviewing with personalities representatives of culture, education, and various Latin American presidents.

She was Secretary General of the Latin American Section of the International League for Human Rights, consulting organization on the United Nations.

She was also the Secretary of the Inter American Association for Democracy and Freedom. She was acknowledge to be 'the foremost defender of Democracy in the Americas', for which she has received many honors.

BIOGRAPHY

Frances Grant was born in probably the oldest and most remote adobe pueblo in New Mexico, Ibiquiu, a stronghold of the Penitente cult, and the nearest habitation to her father's ranching and mining interests.

Her childhood was spent in this exceedingly interesting section of the country, where she spoke only Spanish; and her familiarity with the environment and the language proved of great help to her later visits to Latin America and the Andes.

She was educated in Barnard College of New York and was graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism.

She began her professional career as a journalist, corresponding for a number of American Newspapers and as editor of a number of magazines, some of them being the leading trend and point of reference for certain activities of that time, among which can be mentioned 'Musical America' and 'Hemispherica'.

She also received and extensive music and art education, and for some years studied composition under Ernest Bloch.

When the Roerich Museum was founded Miss Grant was invited to become its Executive Director. In 1927, she became its Vice-President.

On behalf of the Museum, as well as for her own research interests, Miss Grant has traveled widely, particularly in Asia and Latin America, where she had the opportunity to study cultural backgrounds and contemporary movements.

In 1928, she joined Professor Roerich and the members of his expedition in Asia and stayed with them for about one year, compiling his expedition material and making her own studies into Asiatic backgrounds.

She has written extensively on both the social and cultural aspects of America and Asia; has studied the prehistoric foundations of Asia and Latin America and understood Asia's religions and philosophy, its tradition and mysteries, and its inner life.

When she returned from Asia, in 1929, convinced of the great opportunity for work in the field of the Inter-American relationships, she took her first trip Latin America, to study the Andean culture and to inaugurate a movement for closer cultural interchange between the Americas.

In this trip she visited all the South American countries and inaugurated on behalf of the Roerich Museum, a movement for cultural interchange.

This was the first effort made in this direction and it achieved a brilliant response, both officially and from educational and cultural organizations, establishing an exchange of exhibitions, scholarships, and the formation of branches for cultural interchange between the Americas.

On her second trip to South America, Miss Grant was invited as Guest Lecturer to the University of Chile, the National Museum of Argentina, the University of Bolivia, the Brazilian Association for Advanced Education in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the National Academy of Peru, the Center de Estudios and National Academy of Bogota, the Ministry of Education of Mexico, and other leading centers of learning of Latin America.

Subsequently, she made trips all around Latin America and to individual Latin American countries.

In 1930, was her privilege to promote, on behalf of the Roerich Museum, a Cultural Treaty between the Americas. Her happy relationships with the Latin American countries gave her the opportunity of presenting the projected pact before the Montevideo Conference through the Chilean Government, and to receive the unanimous approbation of the Pan American Conference.

She was subsequently able to obtain the signature of this Pact of all twenty of the Latin American countries and the United States. This treaty, called the 'Roerich Pact' was signed at the White House on April 15th, 1935, and was a cultural pact of peace signed by the Pan American Union.

On her return from her first trip to Latin America, she founded the Pan American Women's Association, which was a vital force in uniting the women of the America ever since, and organized an Inter-American Institute under its sponsorship.

This institute has been responsible for some of the most impressive activities on behalf of Inter-American understanding.

For instance, this association was responsible for the first comprehensive Latin American exhibition ever brought to the United States, a National exhibition of Contemporary Brazilian Art in 1930, an exhibition which was followed by others of equal interest.

She also took to Latin America the first exhibition of art from North America. This was shown at the museums of the leading countries.

The association also sponsored the presentation in U.S. of many Latin American statesmen, musicians and numerous intellectuals, among them Romulo Gallegos, candidate for the Presidency of Venezuela and former Minister of Education and its most famous novelist; President Olaya Herrera; President Alfonso Lopez; President Santos of Colombia; Dr. Gustavo Santos, director of the department of Culture of Colombia; Dr. Carlos Davila, former President of Chile; Dr. Ricardo Alfaro, former President of Panama; Gabriela Mistral; Pablo Neruda; and others of the greatest writers of Latin America; Dr. Manuel Beltroy, chief of the Department of Culture of Peru; Dr. Jose Galves, rector of the University of San Marcos, and hundreds of others similarly distinguished in all fields of activity.

This association was also responsible for the first course in Latin American relations and civilization, a course subsequently incorporated in the U.S. public colleges.

In 1940 she was invited to Mexico by the Mexican Government to make a survey of its educational and cultural work.

In 1941 she again visited almost every Latin American country. During this trip she lectured about 'Inter-American relations' and 'Women's work in the western hemisphere' at the National Library of Bogota; the University of San Andres in La Paz, the University of Santiago and the National Council of Women of Chile, the Instituto Intercambio Cultural Argentino Norte Americano (ICANA) , the National Council of women and the museo colonial of Buenos Aires, the Instituto Brazil-Estados Unidos of Rio, etc.

She also was invited to inaugurate the Radio del Estado del Paraguay, speaking on the inaugural program with the President Marinigo at Asuncion. She also gave radio talks among them over the Radio Nacional of Bogota; the Radio CPI at Asuncion, Radio Splendid of Buenos Aires, etc.

During this trip she sent articles for the New York Times and the North American Newspaper Alliance, interviewing for this purpose the Presidents, political, cultural and social leaders of South America, many of whom she had known from her previous journeys.

For several years she conducted special short wave programs in Spanish to Latin America dedicated to themes which were specially timely or touching to Latin Americans.

She conducted series of programs on behalf of the PEN International Club, and for two years also gave a semi-weekly short wave commentaries over CBS directed to women of Latin America.

During World War II, when the International League for the Rights of Man, one of the world's great organizations for the protection of civil and political liberties, a United Nations consultative organization, was reorganized in the United States, she was invited to become Chairman of the Latin American Section, later becoming its Secretary General.

Under the sponsorship of this organization she proposed the holding of an Inter-American Conference for Democracy in Havana in 1950, at which democratic leaders of the Americas organized a regional body called 'Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom, of which Miss Grant was elected Secretary General. For her work in this association she has been called 'the foremost fighter for democracy in the Americas' by former President Jose Figueras of Costa Rica.

The Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom was dedicated to the defense of all civil and political democratic ideals, and the fight against totalitarism in Latin America.

As such, it has been responsible for bringing before the United Nations hundreds of protests against violations of human rights in Latin America, it has been in the forefront of the fight against the dictatorships which had suppressed freedom in the Latin American countries, and has been credited with being a major force in liberating many of the countries.

Miss Grant has written and lectured widely on Inter American problems, she edited 'Hemispherica' which chronicles the progress of democracy in the Latin American republics.

For her contributions to freedom and democracy in Latin America, she has received among many honors, a Special Gold Medal and Citation from the Republic of Costa Rica (the first ever given by that republic); the Order of the Condor of the Andes from the Republic of Bolivia; the Order of Dame of the Liberation, from the Spanish Republican Government; Decoration of Francisco Morazan the Liberator, from Honduras; Grand Officer Order of Sanchez, Mello & Duarte, from the Dominican Republic; Commander Order of Liberator, of Venezuela.

Among South Americans she could boast of probably the most extensive and diversified contacts of almost any individual of the United States.

Not surprising, since these has been build up over four decades of continuous contacts. Because of this she was called upon constantly to render most diverse types of friendships - ranging from those mentioned above to that of helping Latin Americans to go to the United States for purposes of educational research, study, social surveys, medical care, travel, and others almost too diverse to mention.

In the South American countries, she had assisted in the foundation of organizations of social service and cultural groups, such as Children's Center in Santiago; Children's Museum in La Paz, Bolivia; Adult Educational Groups and other highly interesting projects.

Miss Grant has dedicated her life to others, to the cultural advancement and the recognition of human values that lies in the culture of every nation, as well as to the recognition of the values of other nations.

She has probably been the most active women of our continent working in favor of culture, democracy and freedom, and has forever changed the rol of women in the various fields of politics, education, social work and culture in general.

She believed that women had an essential part for the success of the Pan-American enterprise. She contributed in the building of inter-american understanding and uniting, searching for a true community of purpose and goals.

She was active part in the development of the recognition of the value of culture and the historical richness of the peoples. She said that one of her major dreams was seeing the women of the Americas united beyond nationalities, races, and be one international group without frontiers