100 Years of Women

1920s

Ma Rainey

1886-1939

Ma Rainey, also known as “the mother of the blues,” was 1920s blues singer as well as an activist for Black and LGBTQ+ rights. Rainey fought against racial segregation and for Black LGBTQ+ women to have opportunities in the music industry. Rainey was heavily discriminated against during her time in the music industry and as an effect could only make music for five years. She was also arrested for being openly bisexual. Despite these setbacks, Rainey continued to shine and even got white people in the South to defy the laws of segregation and watch her show. Rainey continued to fight throughout her lifetime against these injustices, and even channeled the messages of mental health, femininity, and more into her songs.

1930s

Maribel Vinson Owen

1911-1961

Maribel Vinson Owen was a three-time olympic figure skater, nine-time U.S women's champion and four-time U.S pairs champion. She started touring professionally in her own ice show in 1937, and she also coached for many years at the Skating Club of Boston. Vinson Owen was also the first female sportswriter for the New York Times. She had two daughters, Maribel Jr. and Laurance who were also world level figure skaters in the 1950s and early 60s. Tragically, Maribel Vinson Owen, her two daughters, and the whole 1961 U.S World figure skating team lost their lives in a plane crash on the way to the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships. Although Maribel's life came to a sudden end, she paved the way for many skaters and writers to come and her legacy is still celebrated in the skating community today.

1940s

Nancy Harkness Love

1914-1976

Nancy Harkness Love achieved her pilot's license at age 16. She attended Vassar college and competed in National Air races during her free time. She went on to become the first female pilot in the Army Air Forces. During World War II, she also became the founder and commander of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). The WAFS were female pilots who used supplies from factories and ferry aircrafts so more male pilots could move to the front. Harkness Love was awarded the Air Medal for her heroism and achievements in aerial flight after the war. She became lieutenant colonel of the Air force Reserve in 1948. She continued to fly till the end of her life in 1976.

1950s

Katherine Johnson

1918-2020

Katherine Johnson was a talented mathematician that helped send Apollo 11 to the moon and allowed NASA to further continue their space explorations. Johnson's life and career changed in 1957 after the launch of the Soviet satellite, Sputnik. In 1957, she provided math for Notes on Space Technology, which was what helped the USA travel into space. Johnson is most known for providing the math that would allow John Glenn to be launched into orbit. For many years after, Johnson continued to make many groundbreaking contributions to NASA and pave the path in space exploration. Her story was portrayed in the 2016 film Hidden Figures.

1960s

Margaret Sanger

1879-1966

Margaret Sanger was a women's rights activist and feminist who founded the birth control movement and spent her life advocating for women's reproductive rights. In the early 1900s, Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. In 1921, she founded the American Birth Control League. Throughout the next couple of decades, Sanger continued to spread information about contraceptives and overall helped legalize them. By 1960, the pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and, without Sanger, none of these accomplishments would have happened.

1970s

Junko Tabei

1939-2016

In 1975 Junko Tabei, from Japan, became the first woman to ever successfully climb mount everest. Along with being a professional climber, she was also an author and a teacher. Later, in 1992, she became the first woman to climb the highest peak on each continent, also known as the 7 summits. Tabei was completely funded by herself, and she made money successfully by being a hiking guide, teaching English and music, making public appearances, and writing books. She wrote 7 books between 1996 and 2008. Her life long goal was to climb the highest mountain in every country, and she was able to climb 70 by the time she died.

1980s

Benazir Bhutto

1953-2007

In 1988, Benazir Bhutto became the first female prime minister of Pakistan. Just months after giving birth, she advocated for open elections and won. She was prime minister twice, first from 1988-1990, and then from 1993-1996. Before becoming prime minister she was first educated at Harvard University, and later studied economics, philosophy and political science at Oxford University. She then earned a postgraduate degree in international law. During her first term being prime minister she faced many challenges and the president had a re-election. Regardless, Bhutto persevered and came back later in 1993 to win the vote.

1990s

Tegla Loroupe

1979-Present

In 1994, Tegla Loroupe became the first African American woman to win the New York City Marathon. She was born in Kenya and had 24 siblings who she helped look after. Her running talent was noticed at a very young age when she had to run 10 kilometers barefoot every morning for school. She won three half marathons from 1997-1999, and in 1995 and 1999 won bronze in the World Championship’s 10,000m. She also held the world record for the marathon for 3 years and was an olympic competitor. Alongside running, she also founded the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation and advocates for peace as well as bringing warring Kenyan tribes together.

2000s

Sonia Sotomayor

1954-Present

In 2009, Sonia Sotomayor became the first ever Latina woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. She began her studies at Princeton University, and she heavily participated in advocating for Puerto Rican rights. She was appointed during the Obama administration and was also the third female Justice on the Supreme Court. Sotomayor has also written four books. While being a Justice she supported women's issues, criminal justice reforms, and legal immigration. Sotomayor also helped legalize same sex marriages throughout the 50 states with her vote in Obergefell v. Hodges.

2010s

Laverne Cox

1972-Present

Laverne Cox is a transgender woman who is also an LGBTQ+ activist and actress. She was the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2014 for her role as Sophia in Orange is the New Black. Later that year she was also the first openly transgender women to be featured on the cover of TIME magazine. Today, Cox continues to fight for transgender equality and is a successful actress, recently playing Kacy Duke in the 2022 series, “Inventing Anna.”