Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of Britain’s most influential and iconic monarchs. Princess Diana was born into a life of aristocracy in 1961 in the United Kingdom and married into the British royal family in 1981 with Prince Charles. One thing she did that set her apart from the rest of the Royal family was her humanitarian work. She directly worked with patients who had HIV and AIDS; she even went as far as to shake the hand of a man with HIV, breaking the stigma that aids could be spread through touch. She was the first royal to open a ward in London specifically for HIV and AIDS patients. Princess Diana used her fame to her advantage to draw attention to issues in the world. Princess Diana was known as the “people’s princess” because of how loved she was not only by citizens of the UK but by people all over the world. Princess Diana was also an advocate for mental health and ending domestic violence.Â
Rosa Parks was an activist during the American Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks was an African American woman born in Alabama, the Deep South, which was permeated with prejudice and racism against African Americans. At this time, when African Americans were required to sit at the back of the bus, Rosa Parks took a brave stand and decided to sit in the front of the bus — even though it was against the law at the time. When she was told to move, she didn’t. Her bravery sparked the movement of the American Civil Rights Movement. Parks was monumental to the Civil Rights movement and brought attention to the issue of racism in America. She was instrumental in the civil rights movement and helped end the segregation of African American people. In my personal opinion, she is one of the bravest and most influential people in history.
Frida Kahlo is by far one of the most influential artists of all time. She began her art journey after an accident that left her with severe injuries. Known as the “master of self-portraits,” Frida Kahlo is one of the best-known Mexican painters. She was known for her colorful art pieces and iconic self-portraits. Kahlo embraced her sexuality and would often dress in both masculine and feminine clothing, breaking the rigid barriers of gender conformity. Frida Kahlo was also openly bisexual and had relationships with men and women alike. She inspired many people to come out and embrace their queerness. Her art had themes such as her identity, the human body, and death and dying. Frida Kahlo was a trailblazer for feminism, breaking gender barriers and living life as a queer woman.Â
Katherine Johnson was one of the mathematicians who worked for NASA. She was an aerospace technologist who was instrumental in getting Americans into space. She was literally one of the most brilliant women of all time, capable of solving extremely complex math equations by hand. Johnson was often looked over because she was an African American woman working in a field dominated by white men. Katherine Johnson was able to prove them wrong and show them that just because she was a woman, didn’t mean she couldn’t do exactly what the men were doing. Because of Katherine Johnson, we are able to send astronauts into space, where they do vital research on our planet and the solar system. Without Katherine Johnson’s mathematics, we would not be where we are today when it comes to space travel. If you are interested in learning more about her and the other amazing African American women working for NASA and getting Americans into space, Hidden Figures is a fantastic movie about her!
Jane Austen was a world-famous author known for works like Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and other classical works. Austen was living at a time when men dominated the world of writing, and she proved that women were equally as capable of writing phenomenal books that are still being sold to this day. During her time, women did not have the same rights as men, so her being a famous female author was a huge accomplishment. She paved the way for other women to publish their writing and still inspires many female authors. I have read several of her pieces, and they are fantastic. I would recommend the book Pride and Prejudice. It is one of my favorite books.
This is just a short list of the many fantastic women in history. Happy Women’s History Month!