Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.

Biographies

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

Lucille Ball was an American actress, pioneer in comedy, and businesswoman.

Lucille Ball

On February 23, 1914, Lilian St. Cyr, performing under the name “Princess Red Wing,” became the first Native American actress to appear in a silent film. During her 15-year acting career, she performed in more than 70 films.

Lilian St. Cyr (“Red Wing”)

SAG, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominated actress, Kerry Washington is a versatile and fearless performer who continues to astound with the depth of her talent.

Kerry Washington

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Grace Hopper

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

Biography

Etta Horn

Etta Horn was a prominent welfare rights advocate. As an activist, she worked alongside other anti-poverty organizers to improve the living conditions of low-income DC residents.

Biography

Shirley Horn

Jazz singer and pianist Shirley Horn was one of the leading jazz musicians of her generation.

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Julia Ward Howe

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

Biography

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 Idar

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

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Margaret Ives Abbott

Imagine being the first woman to win an Olympic event for the United States, but never knowing that you had done so. This is what happened to Margaret Ives Abbott.

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Mae Jemison

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

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Andrea Jenkins

Andrea Jenkins made history in 2017 when she became the first African American, openly transgender woman elected to public office in the United States.

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Barbara R. Johns

As a teenager, Barbara Johns helped organize a strike that eventually led to the desegregation of schools in the United States.

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Claudia 'Lady Bird' Johnson

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

Biography

Marsha P. Johnson

Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s in New York City.

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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.

Biography

The first female Solicitor General of the United States and now an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, Elena Kagan is a prominent legal scholar and jurist who has advocated for justice and equality since childhood.