Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.
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Every woman has a story.
"The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon."
-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings
Women have always played an active role in history. Explore some of the historical women and contemporary newsmakers that continue to impact the world. New biographies are added regularly, so check back to discover inspiring new stories!
Featured Biographies
Biography
Alice Paul
A vocal leader of the 20th century women’s suffrage movement, Alice Paul advocated for and helped secure passage of the 19th Amendment.
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Biography
Ethel L. Payne
Ethel Payne is known as the First Lady of the Black Press, because of her fearlessness as a journalist and a Civil Rights activist.
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Frances Perkins
Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, holding the position of Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945.
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Biography
Mamie Phipps Clark
Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark was a pathbreaking psychologist whose research helped desegregate schools in the United States.
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Pocahontas
Among the most famous women in early American history, Pocahontas is credited with helping the struggling English settlers survive.
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Queen Lili‘uokalani
Queen Lili‘uokalani was the last sovereign monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
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Gertrude “Ma” Rainey
Often called the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey was known for her deep-throated voice and mesmerizing stage presence that drew packed audiences and sold hit records in the early twentieth century.
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Jeannette Rankin
In 1916, Montana elected Jeannette Rankin as America’s first congresswoman, four years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
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Bernice Johnson Reagon
Bernice Johnson Reagon is a renowned composer, historian, musician, and activist.
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Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is the first African American woman to hold several positions, including Secretary of State.
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Biography
Felisa Rincón de Gautier (Doña Fela)
Felisa Rincón de Gautier, affectionately known to the public as Doña Fela, became the first female mayor of a capital city in the Americas when she was appointed mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1946.
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Biography
Sylvia Rivera
A veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprising, Sylvia Rivera was a tireless advocate for those silenced and disregarded by larger movements.
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Biography
Elsie Robinson
Elsie Robinson was a journalist, fiction writer and poet. She was best known for her nationally syndicated column, Listen, World! which was read by more than 20 million Americans between 1921-1956.
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Biography
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt grew up to become one of the most important and beloved First Ladies, authors, reformers, and female leaders of the 20th century.
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Ana Roqué de Duprey
Ana Roqué de Duprey, a prolific educator, writer, and scientist, founded the first woman’s suffrage organization in Puerto Rico in 1917.
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Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the senior US Representative from Florida, the first Latina elected to the US Congress, and the first Republican in congress to publicly support the passage of the Marriage Equality Act.
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Betsy Ross
Considered essential to the American Revolution, Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first United States flag.
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Loretta Ross
Loretta Ross is an academic and activist who has dedicated many years to advocating for women’s rights and reproductive justice.
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Biography
Vera Rubin
Dr. Vera Rubin was an astronomer whose research proved the existence of dark matter.
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