Anna May Wong was the first Chinese-American movie star and the first Asian-American actress to gain international fame. She used her fame and influence to talk about and protest the racist practices in Hollywood, protesting against racist depictions of Chinese characters, and opening up more significant and starring roles for herself and many actors of […]
Constance Fenimore Woolson, Successful American Novelist
The author Constance Fenimore Woolson (1840-1894), who wrote five novels for adults and dozens of stories, was widely considered during her lifetime one of the most important American fiction writers of the nineteenth century. While Woolson may not be a household name today, she is a bit of a novelty for students of American literature […]
The Life and Artistry of Patti Smith
Patti Smith is an American singer-songwriter, author, and poet widely known as one of the founders and most influential artists in the burgeoning 1970s New York City punk rock movement. Her debut album Horses, with its fusion of spoken poetry and punk rock avant-garde, chronicles both her personal experiences as a female artist and musician […]
Sirimavo Bandaranaike: The First Female Prime Minister in the World
Ask anyone what they know about Sri Lanka and chances are, they may tell you that it’s the source of some of the world’s best tea. You may also hear that the country is famous for its love of cricket and for its stunning landscapes and scenery. But you will rarely, if ever hear, that […]
Anita Berber: The Naked Dancer of Weimar Berlin
Anita Berber was a pioneering and controversial dancer from Germany. She had an eventful life, finding success on stage and screen (not to mention in her love life) during the Great War before ultimately meeting her end too soon. A Stormy Background It is something of a convention, when talking about a notorious celebrity of […]
Drowned in History: Malay’s Earliest Known Feminist Writer
Most people don’t know the existence of Raja Aisyah Sulaiman, yet if people were prompted with the question of writers that preached feminism in their works, a daring Southeast Asian woman would most likely not be the first person to run in your mind. Raja Aisyah is praised today by literature scholars for having progressive […]
The Warrior Queen Chand Bibi
Every empire in the pages of history has witnessed female warriors who wielded weapons against their enemies. These “warrior queens” proved to be mighty heroines and acts as an inspiration to all the women in the world. But not many remember these heroines from the past and their legacy is often forgotten. The vast civilization […]
Bess of Hardwick: The Second Wealthiest Woman in Tudor England (After the Queen)
Elizabeth Hardwick, better known as Bess of Hardwick, was the daughter of John Hardwick (b. 1495 – d. 29 Jan 1528) and Elizabeth Leake (b. 1499 – d. 1570). The finer details of her early life remain a bit of a mystery though and there isn’t much for us to delve into there. We do […]
Fannie Farmer, the mother of level measurements
Fannie Farmer was a teacher and the author of the innovative Boston Cooking-School Cookbook, the first cookbook to use strict standardized measurements.
Alice Freeman Palmer, Pioneer of Women’s Education
Alice Freeman Palmer was among the most influential people who expanded the academic horizons for women in the USA.