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

Poet and author Audre Lorde used her writing to shine light on her experience of the world as a Black lesbian woman and later, as a mother and person suffering from cancer.

Audre Lorde

One of the greatest tennis players of all time and a renowned advocate for women in sports and LGBTQ rights, Billie Jean King won 39 Grand Slam titles in her tennis career and led the fight for equal pay in tennis.

Billie Jean King

As a poet, writer, activist, organizer, legal theorist, and priest, Murray was directly involved in, and helped articulate, the intellectual foundations of two of the most important social justice movements of the twentieth century.

Pauli Murray

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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.

Biography

Toni Ko

Toni Ko, a first-generation South Korean immigrant, made a name for herself in the business world as the founder of NYX Cosmetics and now helps fund and develop other women-run brands.

Biography

Susan G. Komen

Susan G. Komen's name became synonymous with breast cancer awareness throughout the 90s and early 2000s, but who was Susan G. Komen?

Biography

María Teresa Kumar

Emmy nominated political and voting rights activist María Teresa Kumar has dedicated her career to advocating for inclusive political participation.

Biography

Winona LaDuke

Winona LaDuke, a Native American activist, economist, and author, has devoted her life to advocating for Indigenous control of their homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices.

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Beverly LaHaye

Beverly LaHaye has been an influential voice in American conservative politics for decades and founded the Concerned Women for America.

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Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who pioneered the technology that would one day form the basis for today’s WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communication systems

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Florence Lawrence

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

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Emma Lazarus

Emma Lazarus is most famous for her poem, “The New Colossus,” that is engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

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Mabel Ping-Hua Lee

In a 1912 New York Times article, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee was regarded as “the symbol of the new era, when all women will be free and unhampered.”

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Commonly referred to as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth”, Opal Lee is an activist and retired educator best known for her contributions in establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday in the United States. She has dedicated her life to providing social ser

Biography