The celebration of diverse, female accomplishments is largely neglected in the world’s education system, as well as our society in general. The world has seen a multitude of transcendent and influential icons, men and women alike. Although the following women have not (yet!) received their deserved recognition, by actively educating yourself and researching, you can honor their contributions to history! Therefore, this is a celebration of women who have helped to shape the world that we live in today:
1.) Claudia Jones: Black radical and feminist advocate (1920s)
2.) Jane Cook Wright: Pioneer in cancer research and discovering chemotherapy (1960s)
3.) Kathrine Switzer: Was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (1967)
4.) Margaret Heafield Hamilton: Director of software engineering for NASA’s Apollo Space Program (1960s-1970s)
5.) Komako Kimura: Japanese suffragist in early-20th-century America
6.) Sofia Ionescu-Ogrezeuna: Romanian Neurosurgeon (1920-2008)
7.) Sarla Thakral: First Indian woman to obtain her Aviation Pilot License and fly an aircraft (1936)
8.) Annette Kellerman: Promoted women’s right to wear fitted bathing suits in the early 20th century
9.) Annie Lumpkins: Voting activist (1960s)
10.) Ellen O’Neal: One of the greatest freestyle skateboarders (1970)
11.) Angela Davis: Scholar, activist, author, and feminist (1960s and 1970s)
12.) Dr. Wangari Maathai: Kenyan political activist and founder of the Green Belt Movement (1970s)
13.) Rachel Carson: American biologist and mother of the Environmental Movement
14.) Ada Lovelace: First female coder (1840)
15.) R.A. Kartini: Pioneer for Indonesian women’s education (1879)
16.) Freddie and Truus Oversteegen: Dutch sisters who lured Nazis to death by seducing them
17.) Amelia Bloomer: Revolutionized and advocated for the comfort of women’s clothing in the 19th century
18.) Rosalind Franklin: Behind the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA (1950s)
19.) Mary McLeod Bethune: Civil rights and education activist in the late 19th century and early 20th century
20.) Cecilia Grierson: Physician, activist, author, and the first woman to receive her medical license in Argentina