Inspirational Women

Brownie Wise (1913-1992), Marketing and Sales Expert

First woman to be featured on the cover of Business Week (1954) Almost every American home has plastic storage containers for leftover food or homemade... continue »

Mary Heaton Vorse (1874-1966), Journalist and Labor Activist

• Honored by the United Auto Workers (1961) as a recipient of the first UAW Social Justice Award for her work as a labor journalist... continue »

Lydia Estes Pinkham (1819-1883), Successful Entrepreneur

Formulated an herbal supplement to help women with menstrual cramps Offered help and advice to women re: health issues during an era when male doctors... continue »

Helen Gahagan Douglas (1900-1980) Actress Turned Congressperson

Elected as Democratic National Committeewoman from California Elected to the House of Representatives in 1944, becoming only one of nine women to serve in the... continue »

Anna Julia Cooper (1858-1964), Educator, Scholar, and Activist

One of the most prominent African-American scholars in the 19th and 20th centuries gave voice to African-Americans, from the end of slavery to the civil... continue »

Susie King Taylor (1848-1912), Educator, Author, Activist

First woman to openly teach former slaves at a school in Georgia. Only African-American woman to publish a memoir of her work during the Civil... continue »

Jessie Field Shambaugh (1881-1971)

Implemented program for young people that became 4-H Though most of us currently live in urban or suburban areas, our country’s roots are rural. To... continue »

Lois Mailou Jones (1905-1998)

African-American artist who broke racial barriers Building a successful career as an artist is a difficult challenge for anyone. Lois Mailou Jones created a successful... continue »

Katy Payne (1937- )

American Acoustical Biologist A week’s observation of baby elephants at the Washington Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon led scientist Katy Payne to leave her 15-year... continue »

Louise A. Boyd (1887-1972)

Arctic Explorer Louise Boyd was born into a wealthy California family but instead of using her inherited wealth to live grandly in a stately home,... continue »

Triangle Shirtwaist Women, 1911

Remembering the immigrant women who died in the fire One hundred years ago today, a fire broke out on one floor of the Triangle Shirtwaist... continue »

Nancy Kelsey: First Woman to Travel to California by Wagon Train

Nancy Kelsey (1823-1896) was 17 years old and the mother of an infant daughter when she became the first woman to travel to California on... continue »

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