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!

Biography

Sylvia Earle

Marine biology expert Dr. Sylvia Earle holds the record for deepest walk on the sea floor, and was the first woman to lead the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Biography

Charity Adams Earley

Educator, soldier, and psychologist, Charity Adams Earley led the first African American women’s unit of the army on a tour of duty overseas during WWII.
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Biography

Ophelia Settle Egypt

Ophelia Settle Egypt was a medical social worker and women’s rights advocate who fought to make women’s and reproductive healthcare accessible to the Black communities in Southeast Washington, DC.
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Biography

Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald, known as “The First Lady of Song,” was a revolutionary American jazz singer who performed all over the world.
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Biography

Anne Frank

Anne Frank’s writing in her diary became one of the most recognized accounts of life for a Jewish family in Europe during World War II.
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Biography

Elizabeth Freeman

Elizabeth Freeman became the first African American woman to successfully file a lawsuit for freedom in the state of Massachusetts.
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Biography

Betty Friedan

Journalist, activist, and co-founder of the National Organization for Women, Betty Friedan was one of the early leaders of the women’s rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
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Biography

Elizebeth Smith Friedman

Known as “America’s first female cryptanalyst,” Elizebeth Smith Friedman’s pioneering work in the field of codebreaking helped the country through pivotal moments in the 20th Century.
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Biography

Grace Frysinger

Teacher, lecturer, and author, Grace Frysinger supported rural communities throughout her career.
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Biography

Matilda Joslyn Gage

Famously referred to as “the woman who was ahead of the women who were ahead of their time,” author, activist, and lecturer Matilda Joslyn Gage fought for abolition, women’s rights, and Native American rights.
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Biography

Melinda Gates

As co-chair of the world’s largest private charitable foundation, Melinda Gates is one of the most powerful women in philanthropy.
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Biography

Althea Gibson

Althea Gibson was a star tennis player and the first Black woman to win the U.S. Nationals, French Championship, and Wimbledon.
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Biography

Sarah Josepha Hale

Sarah Josepha Hale is best known for creating the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Her influence can also be seen in historic sites and a national holiday still widely celebrated today.
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Biography

Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer was one of the most important, passionate, and powerful voices of the civil and voting rights movements .
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Biography

Lorraine Hansberry

In 1959, Lorraine Hansberry made history as the first African American woman to have a show produced on Broadway—A Raisin in the Sun.
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Biography

Joy Harjo

Poet, activist, and musician Joy Harjo became the first Native American United States Poet Laureate in history.
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