Fab Five

July: Five Revolutionary Women

The “Fab Five,” a monthly curated selection of biographies and learning resources featuring five notable women from history and current newsmakers, celebrates Independence Day with five revolutionary women who played vital roles in the fight for justice and equality with pen, the podium, or on the battlefield. Click on the links to learn more about Elizabeth Freeman, Phillis Wheatley, Lydia Darragh, Penelope Barker, and Deborah Sampson.

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

Elizabeth Freeman

Despite spending much of her life enslaved, Phillis Wheatley was the first African American woman to publish a book of poems.

Phillis Wheatley

Lydia Darragh was a Patriot spy during the American Revolution.

Lydia Darragh

Penelope Barker organized the Edenton Tea Party, the first recorded women’s political demonstration in America.

Penelope Barker

Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and joined the Patriot forces during the American Revolution. She was the only woman to earn a military pension for participation in the Revolutionary army.

Deborah Sampson

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