Abigail Scott Duniway (1834–1915) dedicated her life to advocating for women’s rights, particularly suffrage, across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Her relentless efforts leading regional campaigns earned her recognition as the primary architect of women’s suffrage in the Pacific Northwest. Her story illustrates unwavering determination against entrenched legal restrictions and social hostility. Early Life & Background […]
3 Groundbreaking Women Who Paved the Way in British Education
Women have played a crucial role in shaping modern education, fighting for equal opportunities, and breaking barriers in a once male-dominated field. In England, data from the Department for Education in 2024 revealed that 75% of full-time equivalent teachers and those on part-time contracts are female. However, education was not always accessible to women. This […]
Were There Cowgirls? Trailblazing Women of the Wild West
In popular culture, the American Wild West is often remembered as a world dominated by cowboys, outlaws, and male lawmen. Yet, women were right alongside men, riding horses, roping cattle, protecting land, and surviving under extremely harsh conditions. Facing brutal weather, vast isolation, and rigid Victorian expectations of how a woman “should” behave, these frontier […]
9 Women Environmentalists in History: Pioneers of Conservation and Climate Science
For centuries, women have stood at the forefront of protecting the natural world, uncovering fundamental scientific truths, and leading movements to preserve ecosystems across the globe. Yet, throughout history, women in science and environmental advocacy faced formidable systemic barriers. Excluded from male-dominated scientific institutions, denied formal recognition, and often dismissed by commercial interests, these trailblazers […]
5 Famous Female Scientists in History
Throughout history, women have made groundbreaking contributions to science, often overcoming significant barriers and discrimination. Despite facing exclusion from universities, research institutions, and professional recognition, these remarkable women persevered and made discoveries that changed our understanding of the world. Their dedication to scientific inquiry paved the way for future generations of female scientists and left […]
Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Marie Antoinette’s favorite portraitist
A few years ago, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art held a retrospective of Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun’s oeuvre. Reviewers gave the exhibit so much praise that, despite never having heard of the artist, I went to see it. Vigée Le Brun’s paintings were riveting, her brief introductory biography intriguing. This unusual woman, I vowed […]
Shaping Space: Women Who Redefined Geography
Geography has long been shaped by the contributions of pioneering women who have overcome barriers and reshaped the field through groundbreaking research and scholarship. These women have played key roles in mapping uncharted territories, redefining spatial theory, and influencing environmental and social policies. Their work has not only expanded our understanding of the world but […]
Johanna van Gogh-Bonger: The Woman Behind Van Gogh
The following is an excerpt from “Saving Vincent” (She Writes Press, April 15, 2025), which tells the untold story of the woman who saved Vincent van Gogh’s art after his death, thoughtfully marketing his works and turning his once-failed career into one of art history’s biggest successes. “Saving Vincent” has been hailed as “intense, vibrant, […]
Amelia Bloomer: Temperance, Suffrage, and Rational Dress Advocate
Amelia Bloomer was a women’s rights activist famous for popularizing “bloomers.” A women’s rights activist, writer, and editor, she founded a newspaper called The Lily which she used to advocate for women’s suffrage and temperance as well as more sensible dress for women. The Early Life of Amelia Jenks Bloomer Amelia Bloomer was born Amelia […]
African American Women Firsts in Medicine
Though today over half of medical school graduates are women, it hasn’t been a level playing field for very long. Women have had to struggle and fight hard for the right to study and practice medicine, and Black women in America have had to face the double barriers of racism and sexism in this struggle. […]