We ’re commemorating trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony and Ruth Bader Ginsburg , who ’ve improved life and inspired generation .
In pureness of Women ’s History Month in March , we ’re celebrating inspirational adult female , including suffragists and modern - day political leader . It ’s the perfect time to calculate back on the contributions of cleaning woman in U.S. history and in our own everyday life story .
The commemoration protrude locally and then expanded nationally to Women ’s History Week by presidential proclamation , signed by Jimmy Carter in 1980.It coincides withInternational Women ’s Day , which is also in March .
Credit: PhotoQuest/Getty Images
Here are just a few of the women who helped pave the way for all who come , and will come , after them .
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony was a cleaning lady ’s rights militant know for her body of work during the suffrage movement in the other 1800s . Led by the Quaker teachings that every human is adequate , she began collect antislavery prayer at years 17 and spent her entire adult living fighting for gender equality and women ’s right to vote . Although she passed away in 1906—14 twelvemonth before adult female gain the right to vote — many leave their " I vote " dagger on her gravesite each election 24-hour interval as a way to say thank you for her contributions .
Sally Ride
In 1983 , the world watched as Sally Ride — an astronaut and physicist — became the first American charwoman in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger . She was the third woman ever in distance , paving the way for succeeding female scientist .
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is a professional tennis player with 23 Grand Slam single titles to her name — the last of which she won while pregnant . She currently make more titles than any other participating player , has win four Olympic gold medals , and became the highest - pay female athlete in the world in 2016 . She ’s spend much of her career advocate for equal treatment of womanhood and fair sex of vividness within sports , and has been outspoken about the gender pay inequality in athletics .
Edith Wharton
As a novelist and author , Edith Wharton was known for her portrayal of New York ’s upper course of study and became the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for her novelThe Age of Innocence . She was also nominate for the Nobel Prize in literature in 1927 , 1928 , and 1930 , and was inducted into the National Women ’s Hall of Fame in 1996 , almost 30 twelvemonth after her decease .
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin did it all : As a singer , songwriter , pianist , and actress , she quickly became a household name in the 1960s . After finding succeeder with songs like " Respect , " and " ( You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman , " Franklin was known as the Queen of Soul and was the first woman to ever be elect into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame .
Amelia Earhart
There ’s a reason you immediately distinguish Amelia Earhart ’s name . In 1932 , she became the first distaff archetype ( and only the 2nd person ever ) to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean . She went on to become a best - betray author and a co - founder of The Ninety - Nines , an organisation of female pilot program . In 1937 , Earhart went pretermit during a flying over the Pacific Ocean .
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a justice on the United States Supreme Court from 1993 until her dying in 2020 . She fine-tune first in her class at Columbia Law School and was the first Jewish adult female ( and only the second charwoman ) to ever process . She spend much of her career fighting for women ’s right and gender equality and has since become an icon for the feminist movement .
Kamala Harris
After serving as territorial dominion attorney of San Francisco , California attorney general , and United States senator , Kamala Harris became the frailty chairman of the United States in 2021 and was the first female person , the first Black American , and the first South Asian American to hold the situation . After the election in 2020 , Harris say , " While I may be the first woman in this office , I will not be the last — because every small young woman ascertain tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities . "
In July 2024 , then - Vice President Harris announced her campaign for the presidency after President Joe Biden dropped out of the airstream . In her concession lecture , after lose to Donald Trump , she said , " This is not a time to cast up our hands . This is a metre to vagabond up our sleeves . "
Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay is a director and film maker known for her work on claim including13th , When They See Us , Selma , andMiddle of Nowhere . She was the first Black woman to win the directing honour at the Sundance Film Festival . She also was the first Black woman to be nominated for both a Golden Globe Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Picture .
Patsy Takemoto Mink
After a successful life history as an lawyer in Hawaii , Patsy Takemoto Mink became the first woman of color elect to Congress in 1965.As a third - generation Japanese American , Mink was the first Asian American woman to assist in Congress , where she fought for social eudaimonia and civic impropriety .
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
As a leader of the women ’s rights movement in the belated 1800s , Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a steadfast advocate for equal rights for all . She hosted the first Women ’s Rights convention at Seneca Falls , New York , write speeches for Susan B. Anthony , and even scheduled her honeymoon around a World ’s Anti - Slavery convention . Like Anthony , she passed away before the 19th Amendment ( which gave woman the right to vote ) was perish , but it could not have been sink without her advocacy .
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt was the longest - serve first dame of the United States , but she did much more than just support her hubby in the presidency . After entrust situation , she went on to become the United State ’s first delegate to the United Nations , where she attend to on the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and helped make pass the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .
Michelle Obama
After a successful career as a attorney in Chicago , Michelle Obama became the first cleaning woman of people of colour to become first lady of the United States in 2008 . She used her position to advocate for wellness initiatives , accession to higher education , and outside education opportunities for girls all over the human beings . In 2018 , her bookBecomingbroke phonograph recording when it became the well - selling book of the twelvemonth , selling more than 10 million copies within the first year .
In August 2011 , she was the first female public figure to make the cover ofBetter Homes & Gardens .
Maya Angelou
chance are undecomposed that you ’ve heard Maya Angelou ’s work ( even if you did n’t love it at the time ) . Her worksI Know Why the Caged Bird SingsandStill I Riseare usually quoted today in reference book to her years of activism in the civil rights movement . She ’s been nominate for a Pulitzer Prize , a Tony Award , and three Grammys .
Sonia Sotomayor
After graduating from Yale Law School , Sonia Sotomayor served as adjunct district attorney in New York before she was nominated to the U.S. District Court by President George H.W. Bush . In 2009 , she became the first Latino and Latina Justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court after she was nominated by President Barack Obama .
Katharine Graham
Katharine Graham was a publisher who ledThe Washington Postfor almost thirty years . She was the first female publisher of a major newsprint , and in 1972 she became the first distaff chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 party as the CEO of the Washington Post fellowship . She also won a Pulitzer Prize for her memoirPersonal Historyin 1998 .
Frequently Asked Questions
you could get a line more about women in the United States and their contributions by reviewing text file , pictures , films , and other cloth in the National Archives . For instance , you may read the U.S. Circuit Court fiat committing Susan B. Anthony to the Albany County Jail for attempting to vote in Rochester , New York , on November 5 , 1872 , along with 14 other women .
allow the womanhood in your daily life history — a teacher or mentor , perhaps — know how they have inspired you . Make them a cardor surprise them with ahomemade food gift(nothing says thank you like prettily packaged pecan pie bar or triple - chocolate truffle ) and attach ahandmade talent tag .
you’re able to also attend a Women ’s History Month event , or give back by donate time or money to a women - focused charity .
Credit: Space Frontiers/Getty Images
“ Women ’s History Month . ” National Women ’s History Museum .
“ About International Women ’s Day . ” International Women ’s Day .
Dwyer , Colin . “ ‘ I Voted ’ Stickers Pile Up in Emotional Tribute at Susan B. Anthony ’s Grave . ” NPR , WBEZ Chicago .
Credit: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
“ Sally Ride — First American Woman in Space . ” NASA .
Rossingh , Danielle . “ Serena Williams Won the Australia Open Pregnant , Sending Social Media Into a Frenzy . ” Forbes .
“ Aretha Franklin . ” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame .
Credit: Universal History Archive/Getty Images
“ Who Are The Ninety - Nines ? ” Ninety - Nines .
“ Ava DuVernay Becomes First Black Woman To Win Best Director at Sundance . ” Black Enterprise .
“ MINK , Patsy Takemoto . ” United States House of Representatives History , Art & Archives .
Credit: NBC/Getty Images
“ Seneca Falls Convention . ” story .
“ Women Who work the Universal Declaration . ” United Nations .
Lewis , Sophie . “Michelle Obama ’s memoir ‘ Becoming ' sells 10 million copies . ” CBS News .
Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
“ Katharine Graham . ” Britannica .
“ Women ’s History Month 2024 Press Kit . ” National Archives .
Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/Getty Images
Credit: NOAH BERGER/Getty Images
Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images
Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Credit: Ida Mae Astute/Getty Images
Credit: Deborah Feingold/Getty Images
Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
