Women Making Herstory

It can be tough to be a woman in a man’s world. Throughout history, we have many brave women to thank for their world-changing achievements beyond female empowerment. From record-breaking athletes to political activists, these women are role models from our past. Although there are way more influential women to celebrate, we’ve given honorable mentions to these 20 historical figures:  

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1. Marie Curie

Marie Curie impressively changed the world with her scientific discoveries. She not only founded the new science of radioactivity but she invented the term. Her research led to discoveries that launched cures for cancer and gained her a Nobel Prize, making her the first woman to win one. She was also the first person ever to win a second Nobel Prize.  

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2. Amelia Earhart  

Her disappearance is part of history’s unsolved mysteries and she gained international fame for her high achievements. Amelia Earhart broke records as a pilot, flying to 14,000 feet in 1921 and flying solo across the Atlantic 10 years later. She smashed female stereotypes as much as she shattered world records in aviation.  

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3. Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale is thanked for her brave medical services during the Crimean War in 1853-56. Nicknamed “Lady with the Lamp”, she led a team of military nurses who cared for sick and wounded soldiers that often took place during the night. Her work continued after the war as she established permanent military nursing and improved services to reduce avoidable deaths.   

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4. Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks is an icon for African Americans. She ignited a nationwide protest when she refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white person. Her bravery to stand up for herself led to the civil rights movement that gave rights to African Americans. She shone a light on the heavy discrimination that took place which sparked a massive change in a racist society.    

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5. Angela Burdett-Coutts

Angela Burdett-Coutts didn’t indulge in her rich inheritance, instead, she dedicated her life to philanthropy and helping the poor. She pioneered social housing and funded several charity projects. She is responsible for the redevelopment of East London during her time.   

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6. Marie Stopes

Marie Stopes played an important role as a sex educator, teaching people about contraception which was a topic mostly kept in the dark. Her controversial advocacy for birth control brought awareness and availability to women who were finally given the opportunity to control pregnancies.  

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7. Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa is a well-recognized woman in history who dedicated her life to helping the most underprivileged people in the world. She was a Roman Catholic nun with a home base in India who founded Missionaries of Charity which gave services to the poor in over 130 countries. Although she is criticized for some anti-feminist opinions, she helped save thousands of lives.   

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8. Mary Anning

Mary Anning was an inspiring paleontologist who proved evolution to Victorian scientists. Convincing the scientists of that era was tough, but she uncovered fossils and dinosaur bones that were evidence of Earth’s past and the origins of life. She was a self-taught leading expert on prehistoric life who was a crucial part of major discoveries. 

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9. Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai was an environmental activist from Kenya. She founded the Green Belt Movement which fought for women’s rights and Mother Earth. She sparked environmental conversations and tree-planting and was the first East and Central African woman to earn a doctorate. She was elected to parliament as the assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resources and received the Nobel Peace Prize for her influence on sustainable development and democracy.   

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10. Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo has become a powerful symbol of feminism and the LGBTQ+ community. She had a difficult life as a female artist in Mexico but that didn’t stop her from painting her way to squash gender norms. Her stunning work depicts scenes of cultural identity, exploring themes of gender and class.   

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11. Eleanor Rathbone

Eleanor Rathbone was a significant member of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. As a humanitarian and suffragist who was part of the British parliament in 1929, she had a great impact on laws for women. She’s the reason for the family allowance bill that gave allowance to the mother instead of the father. She also played a huge role in her refugee relief work, rescuing Spanish republicans and Jews from Hitler’s power. 

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12. Sacagawea

With a baby on her back, Sacagawea traveled thousands of miles leading the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806. As a female Native American, she helped them forge relationships with fellow Native Americans as an interpreter and peacekeeper. Without her, the explorers would never have made it past the tribes they encountered.

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13. Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman had no fear of heights or racism. She was the first woman to receive an international pilot’s license but her African roots were discriminated against, disallowing her to be a commercial pilot in the United States. She didn’t let racism stop her as she dominated in stunt shows as a wing-walker, raising money to train black aviators, and refusing to perform before segregated audiences.    

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14. Artemisia Gentileschi

Many female artists were in the shadows of the men who were celebrated for their masterpieces. Artemisia Gentileschi managed to shine through with her astonishing paintings that gained international praise. She often depicted women suffering in her portraits, reflecting on her personal and professional life.   

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15. Sirimavo Bandaranaike

Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 1960 and was the first female in the world to be the head of government. She served several terms up to 2000, shattering the glass ceiling as a role model for political women activists and giving females important political titles.   

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16. Maryam Mirzakhani

Maryam Mirzakhani gives “girl math” a whole new meaning. This mathematician surpassed ethnicity and gender standards by becoming the first woman and first Iranian to win the Fields medal. This achievement was like winning the Nobel Prize for mathematics. She changed the world for minority women and geometry.    

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17. Junko Tabei

Junko Tabei faced vicious criticism as she embarked on her upward climb, challenging female stereotypes. She was looked down upon for leaving her daughter behind to climb Mount Everest as part of the first all-female climbing team. This tough mother made it to the peak of the world’s tallest summit and became a symbol of female empowerment. 

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18. Lottie Dod

Lottie Dod was a well-decorated athletic champion. She dominated many sports tournaments including golf and lawn tennis, taking the Wimbledon title at age 15. She was in the Olympics for archery, played hockey for England, and succeeded in mountaineering, tobogganing, and skating. She proved women could reach the highest standards of all athletics.     

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19. Mary Anne Evans (George Eliot)

Mary Anne Evans was a 19th-century poet and novelist from Warwickshire. To have her writing taken seriously, she wrote under the disguised name, George Eliot. Her successful novels depict controversial themes including religion, marriage, and industrialization.  

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20. Susan Sontag

Susan Sontag’s influential essays will likely be studied in philosophy classes forever. Her powerful writing and film work cover a range of topics from politics to feminism. She was a leader, delivering powerful lessons through all her forms of teaching, effectively changing perceptions for a better world.  

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