Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.
Suggest a new bioBiographies
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
Antonia Novello
A dedicated public health advocate, Antonia Novello made history as the first female and first Hispanic U.S. Surgeon General in 1990.
READ MORE
Biography
Mary Adelaide Nutting
Mary Adelaide Nutting had a profound impact on American nursing. She was one of the key figures in modernizing the profession and her work is still influential in the field today.
READ MORE
Biography
Joyce Parrish O'Neal
O’Neal has received many honors in her life, including inclusion in the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame (2017). She was also the first African American elected to the Alabama State Personnel Board (2006 and 2010).
READ MORE
Biography
Biography
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (commonly referred to by her initials, AOC) is the youngest woman and youngest Latina to ever serve in the United States Congress.
READ MORE
Biography
Miné Okubo
Miné Okubo is well known for her representations of daily life and humanity in drawings depicting Japanese American internment during WWII.
READ MORE
Biography
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is one of the world’s greatest tennis players, having won numerous tournaments and awards and reaching the rank of World No. 1. Her openness about her struggles with mental health inspired others to share their own stories.
READ MORE
Biography
Adelina "Nina" Otero-Warren
Adelina Otero-Warren, the first Hispanic woman to run for U.S. Congress and the first female superintendent of public schools in Santa Fe, was a leader in New Mexico’s woman’s suffrage movement.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
Biography
Elizabeth Packard
After defending her sanity at trial in 1864, Packard campaigned to ensure the rights of the mentally ill as well as those of married women.
READ MORE
Biography
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and set in motion one of the largest social movements in history, the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
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.
READ MORE
Biography
Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark
Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark was a pathbreaking psychologist whose research helped desegregate schools in the United States.
READ MORE
Biography
Pocahontas
Among the most famous women in early American history, Pocahontas is credited with helping the struggling English settlers survive.
READ MORE
Biography
Queen Lili‘uokalani
Queen Lili‘uokalani was the last sovereign monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
READ MORE
Biography
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.
READ MORE
Biography
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is the first African American woman to hold several positions, including Secretary of State.
READ MORE
Biography
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.
READ MORE