Forgotten Women in History That Deserve Recognition

Thomas Edison. Walt Disney. Julius Caesar. If you ask almost anyone, they can agree they have heard of these legendary men from our history books. But what about Gladys Bentley? Hedy Lamarr? Truus and Freddie Oversteegen? These women had just as amazing accomplishments as the men, but for some reason, their names aren’t as well known. March is Women’s History Month, and in honor of it, here are some forgotten women in history who deserve recognition.

Gladys Bentley was an African-American lesbian blues singer and pianist who was known for being one of the first women to bend gender norms and cross dress as a man. She was born on August 12th, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the oldest of four children, and even from an early age, she was different from her peers. As a child, she preferred to wear her brother’s suits instead of dresses or blouses and noticed admiration for her female school teachers. At the time, this sort of behavior was abnormal and unladylike, and her family never accepted Bentley for who she was. As a result, she ran away from home at the age of 16 to begin her life in New York City. In NYC, she began playing a club called Harry Hansberry’s Clam House and quickly gained popularity. She performed in men’s clothing and sang risque songs, a first for any woman at the time. Her shows entertained black, white, gay, and striaght audiances alike, but not without critism. Eventually, it came to a point where Bentley had to carry special permits to allow her to dress in men’s clothes, and she was constantly harassed for being openly lesbian. Gladys Bentley died on January 18th, 1960, but her role as an LGBTQ+ and African-American icon will never be forgotten. Her masculinity was revolutionary, and she is still known as “America’s Greatest Sepia Piano Player.”

Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, Hedy Lamarr was born in 1914 in Vienna, Austria. From an early age, she was already showing an interest in acting and film. By the age of 12, she was entering beauty contests. But, at the same time, she had a fascination with inventions and spent time with her father who would explain how technologies in society function. As she got older, she began to act in various European films, but it wasn’t until 1937 when she met Louis B. Mayer, head of MGM Records, that she was offered a Hollywood contract. Her credits began piling up, starring in movies like Lady of the Tropics, The Conspirators, and Samson and Delilah. Yet, despite her Hollywood success, her love of inventing had not gone away. At the beginning of World War II, Lamarr developed a radio guidance system using frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology with composer George Antheil. Today, the spread spectrum techniques are used to create Blutooth and methods of Wifi. Hedy Lamarr’s accomplishments are remembered not only on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but in the National Inventors Hall of Fame as well.

Truus and Freddie Oversteegen were sisters, born in 1923 and 1925 respectively, who were part of a Dutch communist resistance movement during World War II. Even though they grew up in poverty, both sisters, with their family, would hide people from Lithuania who were seeking refuge. Once the war started, they continued to hide Jewish families and couples in their homes. The Oversteegen sisters began handing out anti-Nazi pamphlents, which attracted the attention of Frans van der Wiel, the commander of the Haarlem Council of Resistance. By the time they joined the organization, they were only 14 and 16. Along with Hannie Schaft, the sisters worked to sabotage Nazi armies in the Netherlands by using dynamite to disable bridges and railroads. They also helped to smuggle Jewish children out of the country and concentration camps. The sisters killed German soldiers as well. One of their main techniques was to lure them into the woods with the promise of a romantic encounter, and once alone, kill them. After the war ended, the sisters were awarded the Mobilisation War Cross for their brave acts of resistance. Freddie and Truus both lived to be over 90, and continued to speak out against anti-semetism until they passed away.

While learning about these legendary women is inspiring, I can’t help but wonder why they aren’t as widely known and celebrated. These women paved the way for countless musicians, technologies and human rights, yet their stories aren’t in our history books. It is incredibly important to keep their names and legacies alive, not only in Women’s History Month but all year round as well.