Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.

Biographies

Women have always played an active role in history. Explore some of the historical pioneers and contemporary newsmakers that continue to impact the world. New biographies are added regularly, so check back to discover new stories!

Featured Biographies

Motion picture star Florence Lawrence invented the turn signal and brake signal for vehicles.

Florence Lawrence

Although she did not pick up a camera until she was thirty-two, Ava DuVernay has made history as a writer, director, and producer.

Ava DuVernay

Appearing in over sixty movies throughout her career, Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood.

Anna May Wong

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Mary Ludwig Hays

A symbolic figure in the American Revolutionary War, the woman known as “Molly Pitcher” reportedly brought water to the troops at the Battle of Monmouth and worked the cannon after her husband was wounded.

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Dorothy Height

Dorothy Height was the president of the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement.

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Carmen Herrera

104 year-old Abstract painter, sculptor, and minimalist Carmen Herrera continues to influence a generation of artists.

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Oveta Culp Hobby

Oveta Culp Hobby served as the director of the Women’s Army Corps and first secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

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Grace Hopper

Rear Admiral Grace Hopper helped to outline the fundamental operating principles of computing machines.

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Julia Ward Howe

Julia Ward Howe was a writer, lecturer, abolitionist and suffragist.

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Dolores Huerta

Co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association, Dolores Huerta is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century.

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Ruby Hurley

Civil rights pioneer and campaigner, Ruby Hurley is most known for her work with the NAACP in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Hurston was a world-renowned writer and anthropologist.

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Anne Hutchinson

Considered one of the earliest American feminists, Anne Hutchinson was a spiritual leader in colonial Massachusetts who challenged male authority.

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Jovita Idár

Mexican-American journalist, activist, and suffragist, Jovita Idár often faced dangerous situations, however she bravely fought the injustices in her time.

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Mae Jemison

Astronaut Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space.

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Claudia 'Lady Bird' Johnson

Claudia Johnson, known as “Lady Brid Johnson” was an environmentalist, businesswoman, political activist, and First Lady.

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Mary Harris Jones

Female labor activist “Mother Jones” was a self-proclaimed “hell-raiser”.

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Barbara Jordan

As a lawyer, a congresswoman, and a scholar, Barbara Jordan used her public speaking skills to fight for civil and human rights.

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Deloris Jordan

Deloris Jordan has established multiple charities, especially focused on underprivileged youth.

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Annie Jump Cannon

Known as the “census taker of the sky,” Annie Jump Cannon was a brilliant astronomer that revolutionized the way scientists classify stars.

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Helen Keller

Undeterred by deafness and blindness, Helen Keller rose to become a major 20th century humanitarian, educator and writer.

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Florence Kelley

Florence Kelley dedicated her life to social reform. She worked to end many social problems, including labor and racial discrimination.

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Coretta Scott King

Although best known for being the wife of famed civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Coretta Scott King created her own legacy.