In 1963, hundreds of thousands of people from across the United States rallied in Washington, D.C. to demand equal rights for African Americans. While women played a key role in organizing the march, they were purposely excluded from the official program, and struggled for recognition for their contributions. March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom […]
Bibha Chowdhuri, Forgotten Physicist and Researcher
Bibha Chowduri was the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in Physics. Her research into cosmic rays brought her very close to a Nobel Prize, but many of her incredible contributions have been erased from the books.
Carmen Amaya, Queen of the Gypsies
Carmen Amaya (1913–1963) was a Romani dancer who performed around the world and had a huge impact on the art of flamenco. During her lifetime she was called the greatest of dancers, and Queen of the Gypsies. Carmen Amaya is hail on a windowpane, a swallow’s cry, a black cigar smoked by a dreamer, thunderous […]
Who Invented Windshield Wipers? Mary Anderson
You may have never heard of Mary Anderson, but you’ve probably used her invention thousands of times in your life! One frosty day in 1903, Mary Anderson (1866-1953), a native of Birmingham, Alabama, was visiting New York City via a trolley car. She was trying to catch all the sights of the city’s crowded streets, […]
Alaska P. Davidson, the FBI’s first female Special Agent
Alaska Packard Davidson (1868–1934) became the first female Special Agent in 1922, at the age of 54. She only served for two years before being asked to resign by newly-appointed Director J. Edgar Hoover. It wasn’t until 1972, shortly after Hoover’s death and the passing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, that women once again […]
The Canadian Persons Case: Are Women People?
Even after many women were granted limited rights to vote in early 20th century Canada, they still had never been appointed to the Canadian Senate. Though the law stated that any “qualified person” could be appointed to the Senate, it had only ever been applied to men. In the 1920s, a group of women known […]
Anna May Wong, Internationally Acclaimed Actress
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 […]
The Japanese Women’s Suffrage Movement (Real Facts)
As Japan’s contact with the Western world increased beginning in the 1850s, the new Meiji era government worried about Japan’s image in the eyes of Westerners. It began regulating the behavior of citizens in an effort to appear more modern and civilized in the eyes of Westerners, and be seen as an equal nation. As […]
4 Famous Black Women Mathematicians in History
For most of history, women of all races have been shut out of the most prestigious universities and colleges. Only in the past couple of centuries have women begun to attend the same schools as men, with many of the most prestigious universities excluding women until well into the 21st century. Black women, who have […]
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 […]
