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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SAU chapter.

Throughout the year we have days and months where we celebrate important people, events, or groups. February is Black History Month, April is National Poetry Month, and March is Women’s History Month. March is the month when we collectively honor important women who have paved the way for all of us. We all know the stories of Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Marie Curie, and so many others. With International Women’s Day landing on March 8th, it seems fitting that we should focus on some of history’s most influential women.

  1. Rosalind Franklin: For all of you science people out there, Rosalind is the mind behind the discovery of DNA’s structure. She was the lead of a research team studying the structure of DNA. This was during a time where women weren’t even allowed to eat in the cafeteria of the college. We typically give the credit of discovering the double-helix structure of DNA to Maurice Wilkins, James Watson, and Francis Crick. Wilkins actually betrayed Franklin by taking the famous Photo 51 from her lab, and this enabled the men to determine the structure. If it weren’t for Rosalind, we wouldn’t have had the X-ray image of Photo 51 showing the double-helix structure.
  2. Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias: Athletes and sports enthusiasts, here is your girl! Babe is the first female sports star. Zaharias made her way to national stardom in 1932 by entering the United States Women’s Track and Field championship, as the only member of her team. She competed in these events alone and won five events along with the championship. She then went on to compete in the Olympics that same year and won a silver medal as well as two gold. Babe also went on to play golf in 1934, playing as the first female in the all-male PGA Tour, and holds the record for longest winning streak in golf history. Zaharias along with 12 other female golfers formed the Ladies Professional Gold Association. She also won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1954 with only 12 strokes, a year after being diagnosed with colon cancer. Associated Press names her “Female Athlete of the Year” six times.
  3. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rae Rivera: LGBTQ+ Activists and Allies, we have these two brave women to thank for being themselves and creating a new normal. These two women were activists and drag queens in the 1960s and influential members in the gay-rights movement. Johnson is said to have thrown the first bottle at the police during the 1969 Stonewall Riots and resisted arrest. Rivera founded the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance; she also participated in the Stonewall Riots. Together they co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization who works with runaway or homeless transgender and drag queen women of color.

There are a lot more women who have created an impact on the world in which we live and deserve to be recognized during this important month. Take the time this month to find out more about the amazing women who have impacted the world. While you’re at it, take the time to thank a woman who has had an important impact on your own life.

For more information on the women above, as well as others check out: https://www.history.com/news/11-of-historys-fiercest-females-everyone-should-know

Cassie is the Senior Editor at HC @SAU. She oversees the Editorial Team and helps out the writers. Beyond HC, Cassie is involved on campus. Phi Eta Sigma, Sigma Tau Delta, and student assisting on the softball team are some of the organizations/clubs she is involved in. She is also a substitute teacher. Cassie is majoring in English for Secondary Education (5-12) and has an endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESL for K-12). In her free time, Cassie likes to read, relax, watch TV/Movies, and spend time with her family and friends. A fun fact about Cassie is that she read the entire Harry Potter series when she was in 3rd grade, and has re-read it 4+ times.