As we approach International Women's Day on the 8th of March, we think it would only be fitting to show praise and appreciation for some of the women who have changed the world and inspired other women throughout all generations. Women never always had the freedom they have now. They had to fight for gender equality and are still somewhat fighting for it. Women have been striving to live in a gender-equal, unbiased, and unstereotypical world as early as 1913. Let’s take a walk down history to see how different women made their impact.
Mildred Loving
Mildred Loving was a woman of African American and Native American descent. Her story was a beautiful one that impacted segregation laws in the United States. Loving and her husband, Richard Loving who was a white male got married in 1958, but interracial marriages were not allowed in Virginia at that time. They were arrested and sentenced to one year in prison and had to leave Virginia with a 25-year suspension.
They fought for their love with a few lawsuits and in 1967 the court ruled in their favor by overturning their charges as well as allowing interracial marriages between partners.
Sylvia Rivera
Sylvia Rivera referred to herself as a “half-sister”, a woman who is trapped inside a man's body, but still has the mind of a woman. She was part of the world's first LGBTQ advocates who fought not only for gay people but for drag queens as well, as she too was one. In 1970 she starts STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) which was a safe haven for young homeless gay people.
Not only did Rivera start STAR, but she also fought for the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York which forbids the discrimination of gay people and their rights.
Raven Wilkinson
Raven Wilkinson made waves by being the first African American woman to dance for a well know classic ballet company called The American Ballet Company. She fell in love with ballet at a very young age, but the School of American Ballet would not take her until she was 9. Even after she turned 9, the chances of being accepted to any ballet school would have been slim, because of her race.
She auditioned 3 times for Ballet Lopotre, was rejected twice and on the third attempt, she got accepted on a trial basis. She paved the way forward for other black women in professional ballet.
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph was an extraordinary woman who beat the odds more than most people have. She was born premature and had quite a few illnesses as a child, including pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio at 5-years old, which left her with infantile paralysis. She was told by doctors that she would not be able to walk again and proved them completely wrong by becoming one of the fastest women in the world.
In 1960 she became the first African American woman to win three gold medals at the Summer Olympics in track and field running. Her win also helped her support many different public causes.
Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Lynda Blackmon Lowery is the author of her book called “Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom” based on her life story. Lowery was the youngest person to walk alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and many others in the Selma Voting Rights March in 1965. By the time she was 15, she had already been arrested 9 times for joining in different marches leading up to the 54-mile Selma March.
The march helped her overcome many fears that African American people had during that time. And today she is a civil rights activist taking what she learned to make changes for others.
Patsy Takemoto Mink
Patsy Takemoto Mink was a Japanese-American woman who was born and raised on the second largest island in Hawaii, Maui. Mink ran for congress in 1964 and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was the youngest congress member in the youngest state and the first Japanese-American to be elected. She worked on a lot of children's acts, bills, school programs, and Asian study plans, amongst so much more.
Not only did Mink advocate for child schooling programs but she also fought for gender quality in schools. She spent most of her life fighting for children and their education.
Ellen Ochoa
When thinking of astronauts and space, most people envision a man in a spacesuit. But not when it comes to Ellen Ochoa. Ochoa made an extraordinary trip on the Discovery shuttle as the first Hispanic woman to go to space in 1993. She did not stop there as she made a few more trips to space and later she became the first Hispanic director and only the second female director.
The Johnson Space Center where she directed was lucky to have one of the most amazing women in their midst. She reached for the stars and made it there too.
Ibtihaj Muhammad
Ibtihaj Muhammad made world history and Muslims and women all over the world will never forget her for her accomplishments. Muhammad is the first Muslim-American woman to ever compete in the Olympics as a representative of the United States. She was also the first woman to wear a hijab at the Olympics. Even though she only won a bronze medal in the Olympics, she still made a massive media impact for making history.
Since her appearance in the Olympics, she has been a symbol of diversity and tolerance for America and the world. In 2018, Barbie even made a doll wearing a hijab in honor of Ibtihaj.
Georgia Gilmore
Georgia Gilmore may not be a familiar name, but back in 1955 during the Montgomery bus boycotts, Gilmore made her mark in a different way. She started a group called the “Club From Nowhere” which gave women the opportunity to make and sell meals to raise money. This group also help to feed some of the activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. She was most famous for her fried chicken sandwiches.
Her club-inspired others to start similar groups which helped people raise money during the 381-day bus boycott. She sadly died on 9 March 1990, while cooking food for the 25th anniversary of the march.
Marie Curie
Even though her impact was made a really long time ago, Marie Curie is renowned for her knowledge and impact around physics and chemistry. In 1898 Curie made the discovery of radium and polonium, which benefited the studies around cancer treatments for the years to come. She was also the first woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics and later on in Chemistry too. She was the first person to win Noble Prizes twice.
Back in the 1800s, it was not common for women to be working in physics and chemistry, it was seen as a male thing. But remarkably without her findings, cancer treatment may look different today.
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor is a bold federal trial court judge who made history in 2009 by becoming the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice and only the third woman justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. Throughout her early days of working in law firms, she managed to help put away some terrible criminals, from a massive child pornography bust to the famous Tarzan murder case and anything in between.
When Sotomayor was appointed as Supreme Court Justice, Hispanic people celebrated her achievement as if it was one of their own. Since then she works on racial issues and landmark cases.
Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson was an African-American woman who made her mark by figuring things out backward, rather than forward as everyone did. Johnson worked for NASA before it became NASA and had a brilliant mathematical mind which made her findings famous. Not only was she an African-American woman working in a white male field, but she also reverse-engineered the mission that got John Glenn safely back to earth from the first orbit mission.
In 2015 Johnson received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. She lived to be 101 and her story was shared with the world in the book and movie called “Hidden Figures”.
Florence Griffith Joyner
Florence Griffith Joyner, also knowns as Flo-jo, was a phenomenal athlete who broke records in the 1988 Olympics. She won 3 gold medals and set world records for the 100m and 200m, which still have not yet been broken. People often referred to her as one of the fastest women ever and even after she retired from athletics she continued to make an impact with her electric personality and design skills.
Joyner’s legacy led to her being included in the 1995 USA Track & Field Hall of Fame and an LA street was named after her. “Time” also named her the woman of the year for 1988.
Jeanette Rankin
In the 1800s, women having powerful roles were rarely seen. Jeanette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to congress which paved the way for more women in the years to come. She knew at the time that she would not be the last woman to be in congress. She was a strong advocate for women's rights and a proud American politician, one of the few who opposed the declaration of war on Germany.
27% of the congress seats are made up of women today, and this would not have been possible if it weren’t for one woman, Rankin, being elected back in 1916.
Hazel Dorothy Scott
Playing the piano takes a lot of skill, but being able to play two pianos is just another level of skill. Hazel Dorothy Scott was a phenomenal musician who was recognized by Julliard, New York at the age of eight. She performed most of her life, but her music was just one side of her. Scott was also an advocate for Black Americans and spoke out often about racial discrimination and segregation.
Scott also had her own TV show called “The Hazel Scott Show” which was a quick musical program. She was the first person who had their own show who had African roots.
Anna Julia Cooper
Anna Julia Cooper is known as one of the most eminent African-American students in US history. Cooper was born into slavery and still managed to go on and receive one of the best educations. She was a pioneer for Black liberation and was praised for being the fourth African - American woman to get a Doctorate of Philosophy at age 67. After writing her book, she also spoke out a lot on civil and women's rights.
Cooper was a phenomenal woman who aided in a lot of recognition and change which we are lucky to see today. Her impact was widely acknowledged by many black communities.
Constance Baker Motley
We have seen a lot of African-American women who have broken history by becoming the firsts in history, and they keep on coming. Constance Baker Motley played an important role in the civil rights movement and was the first black state senator for New York. A few short years later she made history again by being the first black woman to argue Supreme Court and the first black female federal judge.
As an African-American woman, she accomplished a lot of firsts. She also won a great deal of civil rights cases and was part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legal team.
Effa Manley
When looking back into the late 1800s and early 1900s, sports were considered a male dominant industry, including the team owners and players, until Effa Manley came along. She did not agree with the gender and racial discrimination towards sports and made history as a white female to co-own a baseball team that only included African-Americans and some Latin-Americans. Her team of 11-years won the Negro League World Series in 1946.
When her husband passed away, she became the owner of the team and even made it into the 2006 Baseball Hall of Fame. Outside of baseball, she was also a civil rights and social activist.
Mahalia Jackson
“The Queen of Gospel”, Mahalia Jackson, made her debut with some familiar gospel songs and the rendition of “Amazing Grace”. Her voice was more powerful than just the words she sang as she was friends with Martin Luther King Jr. and inspired him to write his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Her music was her greatest influence though especially for the community which has an appreciation for black gospel music.
Jackson also had an effect on black American identity as she noted how some African-Americans battled to feel comfortable in certain white societies. Her music lyrics would also reflect this.
María Elena Salinas
One of the world's greatest journalists, the “Voice of Hispanic America”, María Elena Salinas is more than just a journalist and news anchor. She worked for more than 35 years with Univision, one of the biggest TV stations in the US and a Spanish broadcasting company. Since then she has also had her own investigation series called “The Real Story” and had used her platforms to empower the Hispanic community.
Doing her part for Hispanics, Salinas volunteers for a program that encourages immigrants to vote, she founded the “National Association of Hispanic Journalists” and sits on the board of the “International Women's Media Foundation.”
Zelda Fitzgerald
Most people know who F. Scott Fitzgerald is, but as they say, “behind every successful man, there is a woman”. Zelda Fitzgerald was married to F. Scott Fitzgerald and during the jazz age, she was a well-known writer, dancer, painter, and socialite. But mostly she was seen as her husband's inspiration, which lead him to write some famous books. However, she had stated once that he had been stealing her ideas for his books.
Her book, “Save Me the Waltz” was about her marriage to Fitzgerald, and it sparked rage because he had been working on a similar book. We guess she just beat him to it.
Amelia Boynton Robinson
Not only did Amelia Boynton Robinson live until 104, which is an accomplishment on its own, but she was a beacon for the American Civil Rights March in Selma. Pictures of her being beaten during the dreaded “Bloody Sunday” were what originally made her known to the world. Robinson became the first African American woman to be after a seat in Congress and also the first woman to want to run for office in Alabama.
In 2015, Robinson held President Obama's hand while they marched for the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. She is remembered for being in the foreground for civil rights for African Americans.
Hattie McDaniel
In a world where we are still seeing too many white male actors winning Oscars, we can remember how Hattie McDaniel made an accomplishment for all African-American actors everywhere. McDaniel acted as a maid called “Mammy” in the movie “Gone with the Wind” and for this role she won an Oscar, being the first-ever African-American to win an Oscar. The fact that she was a female was also an achievement.
She received stars on Hollywood Boulevard and was the first black Oscar-winning actor to be privileged with a United States postage stamp. She was a great inspiration for many future black actors.
Donyale Luna
When we think of African-American models, our minds would jump straight to Tyra Banks and Noami Cambell. But Donyale Luna made history in the 1960s by becoming the very first African-American supermodel. She was also the first black model to feature on the cover of the British Vogue magazine in 1966. Many white models wear favored back then and her becoming a model opened up options for diversity in the industry.
She also acted in a few movies, but she was best celebrated for the change she sparked in a once very white field. it broke the stereotype and opened doors for more African-Americans.
Nellie Bly
Nellie Bly set in motion a new form of investigative journalism when she traveled around the world in 72 days, breaking a record, in order to expose how people were treated in mental institutions. She went undercover and got enough information to reveal what was really happening in the asylums. This led to the New York City municipality having to fund more money into the living and treatment conditions for people in mental institutions.
She made it into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1988 and in 2002, was one of only four journalists who got a United States postage stamp for being a “Women in Journalism”.
Wilma Mankiller
Wilma Mankiller spent a lot of her life advocating for and supporting American Indians. As a native America, she knew she had to make a change. She was the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the biggest of the Cherokee recognized tribes. In 1998 she was also given the Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton and she transformed the biggest Indian-run healthcare organization in America, which influenced many American Indians.
Her work as an activist allowed her to work towards providing Americans with a better understanding of Native Americans and their heritage and why it is so important for all Americans.
Katharine Graham
Katharine Graham came from the family which owned “The Washington Post”. She ran the company for over 28 years and made history by becoming the first female publisher for a big American newspaper in the 20th century. Over the years she received many awards but her greatest accomplishment was in 1972 when she became the first “Fortune 500” woman CEO, which is amazing considering that the majority of the list today is still men,
She accomplished this all even though a lot of the men she worked with would not take her seriously and as being a first of something, didn’t have someone else's footsteps to follow.
Kalpana Chawla
Space travel has come a long way over the years, but one thing we still do not see enough of is the diversity of astronauts. Kalpana Chawla left her legacy behind as being the first-ever Indian woman to go to space. She spent 9-years of her life working at different NASA centers before joining the NASA Astronaut Corps and went on her first space flight in 1997 to work on a malfunctioning satellite.
She sadly passed away on a mission that went wrong, but was honored with the “Congressional Space Medal of Honor” and a few education institutes and streets were named after her.
Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth has probably accomplished the most amount of firsts that could be accomplished. She is an inspiration to all women as being the first female to lose both her legs in the war, first Thailand-born congresswoman, first Asian American in Illinois Congress, first, disabled woman in Congress, and the first woman to give birth while in office. She has beaten the odds more than once and accomplished so much even though there’ve been challenges.
During her years in politics, she has worked on environmental issues, foreign policies, gun laws, health policies, and immigration issues. All well being disabled, a mom, and having a second child at age 50.
Shonda Rhimes
Behind all 18 seasons of “Greys Anatomy”, there is Shonda Rhimes, the screenwriter, and producer. Since her first series, Rhimes has produced 11 more phenomenal series which all draw people in. All her productions include a really well-balanced diverse set of actors and actresses which people have been longing for. She is also an activist for Planned Parenthood and the organization “When we all vote as co-chair” for voting changes in America.
She has a knack for showcasing African-Americans in her shows in a way that makes people realize how many other shows do not present what the real world actually looks like.
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton is one of those people who you either love or hate, but regardless of that, she has made a lot of accomplishments as a woman which will also inspire other women to reach for their dreamland accomplish great things. She is best known for her support towards Bill Clinton, her husband. But in 2000 she was the first First Lady to secure a seat in the United States Senate.
16 years later was the first woman to win the Democratic Party nomination for president. Even though she had more votes, she did not win the election but made it pretty close.
Rita Moreno
You may recognize Rita Moreno from “Singin’ in the Rain”, “West Side Story (2021), and “Happily Divorced (2011-2013). But as a Hispanic and Latina woman, she accomplished more than just an acting career. Moreno was one of the few women who have won an Emmy award, a Grammy award, an Oscar, a Tony award, a Golden Globe, a star on Hollywood's Boulevard, and a Screen Actors Guide Life Achievement Award.
Winning her Oscar made her the first Hispanic and Latina woman to win the award. She broke barriers as a woman and empowered other Latina and Hispanic women to break barriers.
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher is not a strange name to us all, but she was more than just a Prime Minister of the UK from 1979 to 1990, she was the first woman in that office and the longest British prime minister during the 20th century. She did some great work during the fall of the Soviet Union and worked to make changes that lead to London’s financial changes which still show today.
She also played an important role, together with President Reagan and President Bush to help end the Cold War which may have been one of her most powerful political moves.
Melinda Gates
Being once married to one of the richest men in the world could have its perks, but Melinda Gates made her mark away from her ex-husband's title. She has worked to diversify workplaces to promote more women in male-driven industries, such as technology. Her main advocacy is women-empowerment in different areas, such as education, personal protection, and healthcare. She also still co-owns the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”, the second biggest charitable foundation.
In 2016, President Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom for all the work she has done for charities. She has also been highly recognized on the “Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women” list.
Anna May Wong
Anna May Wong was a Chinese-American actress who played roles for over 50 movies. Besides being challenged in her career with racism issues, she still managed to be the first Asian American actor and be the first Asian American to act in a TV show. Noticeably she was cast in foreign movies, but she also played roles in a great deal of American-produced movies too, including a few lead roles.
As the first Asian-American actress, she opened the minds of directors and producers to allow for more Asian-American actors to feature in movies. And in 1961, she even got her star on Hollywood Boulevard.