Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.
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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
Cicely Tyson
Cecily Tyson dedicated her career to portraying resilient African American women on the stage and the screen.
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Biography
Minnie Vautrin
"Goddess of Mercy!" During the Rape of Nanking (1937-38), the Chinese women refugees under Minnie Vautrin’s protection gratefully addressed her this way.
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Biography
Nydia M. Velázquez
Nydia M. Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress, is the Representative for New York’s 7th Congressional District.
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Biography
Betsy Wade
As the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the New York Times in 1974, Wade transformed the industry and newsrooms across the nation.
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Biography
Lillian Wald
Lillian D. Wald helped to bring health care to the residents of New York’s Lower East Side at the turn of the twentieth century.
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Biography
Maggie Lena Walker
Maggie Lena Walker was one of the foremost female business leaders in the US and the first woman to own a bank.
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Biography
Mary Edwards Walker
Mary Edwards Walker is the only US woman to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor.
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Biography
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist. She rose from poverty in the South to become one of the wealthiest African American women of her time.
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Biography
Nanfu Wang
A 2020 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant winner, Nanfu Wang uses film to explore the relationship between individuals and governments.
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Biography
LaNada War Jack
LaNada War Jack is an indigenous activist, who since childhood, has fought to preserve Native American identity and tribal rights.
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Biography
Mercy Otis Warren
Mercy Otis Warren was a published poet, political playwright and satirist during the age of the American Revolution.
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Biography
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was the first First Lady of the United States.
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Biography
Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a prominent journalist, suffragist, activist, and researcher.
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Biography
Phillis Wheatley
Phillis Wheatley was the first African American woman to publish a book of poems.
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Biography
Mary Lou Williams
One of the greatest jazz pianists, composers, and arrangers of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a swing and bebop icon.
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Biography
Serena Williams
Considered the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, and perhaps the greatest athlete of all time, Serena Williams has revolutionized women’s tennis since the 1990s.
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Biography
Brownie Wise
Brownie Wise was a self-made woman who revolutionized marketing tactics and had a knack for motivating others. She introduced the now popular household item, Tupperware, to the market.
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Biography
Alice Wong
Alice Wong is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community that fosters and amplifies disability media and culture.
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Biography
Anna May Wong
Appearing in over sixty movies throughout her career, Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood.
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