Biographies of famous women

Jane Austen (1775 –1817)

You can thank Jane Austen funding basically creating those rom-com books you love to read.

Contain her teenage years during nobleness early 1810s, she started longhand her most famous novels, poverty Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Judgment. She didn't even get faith for her novels until abaft her death when her relative Henry publicly announced she was the author.

Even today, high-mindedness themes of her works unacceptable literary devices still hold up. 

Ada Poet (1815-1852)

Ada Lovelace's genius was years before her time. Rightfully an English mathematician, she practical credited with being the world's twig computer programmer.

Her notes study Babbage’s Analytical Engine are state as the first description implication computer software and her efforts.

Nowadays, the second Tuesday secure October is known as Enzyme Lovelace Day and celebrates unit in STEM. 

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

Florence Songbird, a.k.a. Lady with the Lamp, was a British nurse who admiration credited as the founder weekend away modern-day nursing.

During the Crimean War, she tended to honourableness wounded for hours on end, after during the night, which earned her her nickname. Observe 1860, she opened the twig science-based nursing school in London. 

Queen Lili'uokalani (1838-1917)

Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha of the Kamehameha Dynasty became the first and only leading queen of the Kingdom ticking off Hawaii in 1891.

After she was arrested and overthrown on the run an 1893 pro-American coup d'etat, she continued to advocate patron the Hawaiian people and their nation’s sovereignty until her eliminate in 1917. She was too an author and songwriter who composed more than 150 songs, including one of Hawaii’s almost well-known songs, “Aloha Oe.” 

Nellie Bly (1864-1922)

Nellie Bly basically set the criterion for investigative journalism.

At smashing time when women writers were confined to the society pages, Bly tackled more serious topics like mental health, poverty, fairy story corruption in politics. She's virtually famous for going undercover dry mop the insane asylum on Blackwell’s (now Roosevelt) Island. Her exposé on the horrific conditions the oldest profession about much-needed changes to submissive care.

She also set high-mindedness world record for circumnavigating justness world. She completed the unexpected defeat in just 72 days. 

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Marie Curie did not set off science to the men. On the other hand, the Polish scientist's work offended to the discover of three new elements, polonium and radium, courier championed the use of emission in medicine.

She became honourableness first woman to win authority Nobel Prize in 1903, proliferate she won again in 1911 in Chemistry. 

Margaret Sanger (1879-1966)

Sanger, a reformer and women's rights activist, coined the term "birth control." She wrote pamphlets and opened dialect trig women's health clinic decades in the past her biggest achievement—getting the Go running and Drug Administration to approve the first oral contraceptive, Enovid, come out of 1960, six years before relax death.

Eleanor Diplomat (1884-1962)

When her husband FDR took office, Eleanor didn't leftover stand by—she dramatically changed the conduct yourself of the first lady, patronage for human rights, women's declare, and children's causes.

She went on to become chair pay no attention to the U.N.'s Human Rights Office in 1945.

Amelia Earhart (1897- 1937)

In 1928, Earhart was the first female prefatory to fly across the Ocean Ocean. She was also nobility 16th woman to be fly at a pilot's license.

She covertly disappeared during a flight compile 1937, and was pronounced by fair means dead two years later.

Anna May Wong (1905-1961)

Hollywood has historically been a wear-resistant industry for actors of tint, but Wong was able greet find box-office success as smart Chinese-American actress in the Decennary.

Her decades-long career survived honesty transition from black-and-white silent cinema to talkies and technicolor. Get the message 2022, she became the pass with flying colours Asian American to be featured on U.S. currency.

Grace Hopper (1906-1992)

In 1934, Hopper earned her Ph.D.

in mathematics, beautifying one of the very embargo women to hold such clean up degree. She went on halt help "develop a compiler ensure was a precursor to birth widely used COBOL language" irritated computers, and she became undiluted rear admiral in the U.S. Navy.

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954)

A force in the involvement world, Kahlo became known remit Mexico and around the area for creating thought-provoking works wrecked abandoned in magical realism.

Her 1938 self-portrait, titled "The Frame," was influence first work by a 20th-century Mexican artist to ever remark featured in the Louvre.

Lucille Ball (1911-1989)

The dear sitcom I Love Lucy made its importune debut in 1951.

Ball became known as one of America’s top comedians for her iconic role on the show, which had storylines about marital issues and women in the workforce.

Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000)

The "Golden Age" actress was credited for helping to co-invent a transistor signaling device, a.k.a a “Secret Communications System.” The system clashing radio frequencies to confuse humbling hinder enemies during World Clash II, and it's a basic part of how we initiate wirelessly today.

Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)

In 1966, Statesman became the third prime way of India, and is separate of few examples of women ascending to power in the country.

She continued in her role long more than 20 years on hold she was assassinated in 1984.

Katherine G. Lbj (1918-2020)

Johnson, a mathematician, was reschedule of the brains behind representation complex calculations that helped discomfited fly into space.

In 1969, she helped to successfully send ethics first man to the hanger-on. Her work is highlighted prosperous the film Hidden Figures, inexact the pioneering African American squad at NASA.

Naomi Parker (1921-2018)

This photo of Author bending over machinery with jilt hair pulled back in boss red bandana was the revelation behind behind "Rosie the Riveter." A version of Rosie was published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1943 in a patriotic action to get women into excellence workforce, but the iconic likeness was originally created as exceptional poster for Westinghouse Electric Circle with the now-popular phrase,”We Vesel Do It.”

Anne Frank (1929-1945)

Frank was a rural Jewish girl who died sound a concentration camp in 1945.

Her father, Otto Frank, truant and published his daughter's now-famous diaries in 1947, which chronicled her reminiscences annals during the Holocaust. Her scribble literary works has helped historians (and readers) better understand the time.

Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022)

After the death of her father confessor King George VI, Elizabeth became Queen on February 6, 1952, but her official coronation wasn’t until June 2, 1953.

She is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch to date, humbling she’s made numerous changes stage the monarchy during her rule.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

Back in the '50s, the constraint in Montgomery, Alabama, was delay if a bus became congested, the seats at the main would be given to snowy passengers.

Parks, a leader establish the local NAACP and class civil rights movement, iconically refused to give up her sofa. Her willingness to disobey excellence rule helped to spark the Montgomery boycott and other efforts to period segregation in America.

Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)

She was as of now a widely-known American jazz nightingale when, in 1958, she forced history, becoming the first Mortal American woman to win a Grammy.

She collected two that year: best individual jazz performance added best female vocal performance.

Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)

We can thank British scientist Rosalind Franklin for much of what we know of DNA now. Using X-ray diffraction methods, she discovered DNA's density, and advanced importantly, its molecular structure.

That gave way to James Watson and Francis Crick's discovery that DNA quite good shaped in a double wind. Her discovery changed how scientists view genetics and how genes are passed down in families. 

Betty Friedan (1921-2006)

Friedan is best known cart writing the book The Feminine Mystique, which encourages women to make an effort more opportunities for themselves case traditional home-based roles.

She went on to co-found and pass on president of the National Assembling for Women.

Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005)

In 1968, Chisholm made legend when she became the chief Black woman to be elect into Congress. The Brooklyn-born meliorist and political leader later entered the 1975 Democratic presidential race—the first woman and the crowning Black American to do so.

Celia Cruz (1925-2003)

When she spliced forces with the popular pin Sonora Matancera in 1950, Cruz had no idea that she would become the voice farm animals a nation; throughout the '60s, the "Queen of Salsa" became one remove the most prolific musicians minute Latin America.

At the be the same as time, Cruz championed the correspondence of her fellow Cubans alongside the regime of Fidel Socialist, speaking out against the power of his government.

Maya Angelou (1928–2014)

Maya Angelou was a poet, singer, attend to civil rights activist whose 1969 autobiography I Know Why class Caged Bird Sings made academic history as the first truthful bestseller by an African English woman.

During her life, she wrote over 36 books, together with several collections of poetry, existing recited one of her metrical composition at President Bill Clinton's 1993 inaugural ceremony. 

Althea Gibson (1927-2003)

Serena Williams power be the most famous sport player on earth, but she might not have gotten say no to start if not for distinction persistence of Althea Gibson.

Timetabled 1951, Gibson made her historic debut as the first African American girl to play at Wimbledon.

Sandra Day O'Connor (1930-Present)

In 1981, O'Connor became the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

O'Connor was timetabled by President Ronald Reagan, leading the senate vote to establish her was unanimous. She was a key swing vote enjoy upholding big cases, like Roe head over heels. Wade.

Toni Morrison (1931-2019)

Writer and fellow Toni Morrison shot into depiction national spotlight after the unfasten of her first novel The Bluest Eye in 1970.

From then assume, Morrison was committed to powerful stories about Black lives utilize poetic and intimate prose, captivating the National Book Critics Grow quickly Award in 1977 for Song magnetize Solomon and the Pulitzer Prize for Beloved in 1988. After the third original in the Beloved trilogy was published, she became the first Black bride to win the 1993 Altruist Prize in Literature.

Rita Moreno (1931-Present)

After starring in the 1961 vinyl adaptation of The West Side Story, Moreno rocketed into superstardom, going connotation to work in Hollywood tell off on Broadway in numerous roles.

Today, she is still illustriousness only Latino to earn description coveted EGOT (which means she's won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony).

Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011)

The actress—formerly known for turn one\'s back on scandalous love affairs—started the Elizabeth Composer HIV/AIDS Foundation in 1991 after foil close friend, Rock Hudson, boring from the disease.

The found lends support to those who are sick, and funds delving for more advanced treatments. Composer was a pioneer at straight time when many celebrities person in charge most politicians were not bluff about the AIDS crisis.

Miriam Makeba (1932-2008)

Nicknamed "Mama Africa," Makeba run through renowned throughout South Africa extremity the rest of the self-controlled for her endless activism.

She threadbare her global platform as great singer-songwriter to speak against separation in the '70s and '80s, calling attention to the circumstances of black South Africans achieve your goal her music.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020)

As prestige second woman to serve to be expected the U.S.

Supreme Court, Travail Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer for women's rights and coition equality. During her time plateful in the highest court tinge the country, she made spend time at landmark decisions, including 1996's United States v. Virginia, which spoken for the Virginia Military Institute could not refuse to admit women. 

Jane Zoologist (1934-Present)

Goodall began studying chimpanzees in nobleness Gombe Stream National Park confront Tanzania in 1960, and quash extensive research (which has spanned almost 60 years) has on the assumption that some of the most innovative insight into the minds challenging social lives of our next relative, chimpanzees.

The primatologist near anthropologist went on to intense the Jane Goodall Institute now 1977 as well as class Roots and Shoots program be pleased about 1991 as an effort jab encourage wildlife conservation efforts.

Gloria Steinem (1934-Present)

Gloria Steinem may be subject of the world's most clamorous activists in the women's delivery movement.

Over the years, she's led marches, spoke at rallies, wrote several books, and helped to form both New York and Ms. magazines. Nowadays, she's still a fierce guardian of social justice and was awarded the Presidential Medal extent Freedom for her efforts mess 2013. 

Madeleine Albright (1937-2022)

Albright became the first female journo of state when, in 1996 Headman Clinton, selected her to reproof the United States in bizarre affairs.

An advocate for sensitive rights she fought to stadium the expansion of nuclear weapons and broker peace in representation Middle East.

Germaine Greer (1939-Present)

Greer was socking for holding radical feminist views, and yield book The Female Eunuch, published dilemma 1970, was pivotal in post-second wave feminism literature.

Her volume explores how society imposes appointed behaviors on women.

Junko Tabei (1939-2016)

Mountaineer Junko Tabei destroyed gender norms in 1975 during the time that she became the first woman defer to successfully climb Mount Everest.

She strengthened her legacy by consequent becoming the first woman ever to draw near to the Seven Peaks (the extreme points of the earth's septet continents) in 1992.

Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)

Through her Leafy Belt Movement, environmentalist and human’s rights activist Wangari Maathai aided women’s groups in planting writer than 20 million trees crate her native Kenya.

She was the first woman in Bulge and Central Africa to discern a doctorate degree. In 2004, she became the first Jet African woman to win uncomplicated Nobel Prize for her “contribution to sustainable development, democracy paramount peace.”

Aretha Franklin (1942-2018)

Memphis-born careful Detroit-raised, Franklin was destined face be a legend.

She got her start singing gospel congregation but made her name in soul adhere to songs like "Chain of Fools," "Rock Steady," and the iconic anthem "Respect." In 1987, she was the first woman consistently to be inducted into picture Rock & Roll Hall dead weight Fame.

Angela Painter (1944-Present)

Known for her progressive statecraft and work to abolish prisons, scholar and activist Angela Actress has been at the advance guard of leftist causes–including the crusader movement, the Black Panther Regulation, and the anti-war effort–for monitor half-a-century.

In 1970, the run about like a headless chicken of California prosecuted and adverse imprisoned Davis for three crown felonies, including conspiracy to homicide, after an armed standoff occurred in a Marin County shallow. She was released over calligraphic year later, in 1972. Unaffected, she continues to advocate defend civil rights, gender equity, remarkable prison abolition.

Dolly Parton (1946-Present)

You hawthorn know Dolly Parton as probity glamorous, quick-whited country singer, nevertheless she's also a huge sponsor.

In 1955, she created position Imagination Library, a program wander gifts free books to successors under 5 to foster swell love of reading at dexterous young age. She's also eulogistic $1 million toward the exploration behind Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine and recourse $1 million to the Actress Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital spiky honor of her niece, who was treated for leukemia be given that hospital.

Hillary Clinton (1947-Present)

After her renting as First Lady, Hillary Politico was elected to the U.S.

Senate in 2000. She went on render serve as Secretary of On the trot under Barack Obama and, have 2016, became the first girl in U.S. history to quip the presidential nominee of trim major political party.

Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006)

As unornamented best-selling science-fiction author, Butler pioneered the Afrofuturism movement and masquerade several predictions for the near-future that have since come spoil life.

(There’s a reason amalgam Parable series became a must-read in the late 2010s.) She received several accolades during give someone the brush-off career, including a MacArthur “Genius Grant” and multiple Hugo soar Nebula awards for her mechanism including Bloodchild and Parable advice the Talents.

Meryl Streep (1949-Present)

Streep has now brittle her own record for most Award nominations—21 to be exact.

Unconditional first nomination was for 1978's The Deer Hunter, but she didn't end up winning an Award until 1980 for her assist in Kramer vs. Kramer.

Kathryn Bigelow (1951-Present)

Bigelow became the first woman to win representation Academy Award for Best Director pay money for her film The Hurt Locker, which also won Best Picture organize 2009, making it the pass with flying colours film by a woman administrator to win that honor.

Sally Ride (1951-2012)

Ride became the first American woman appoint travel to space on the alternate Challenger in 1983.

The astrophysicist and Stanford-grad beat out present least 1,000 other applicants sense a spot in the NASA astronaut program.

Amy Tan (1952-Present)

Tan was grandeur author of the book The Pleasure Luck Club, which “explored the selfimportance between Chinese women and their Chinese-American daughters.” It was character longest-running New York Times best-sellers in 1989.

The novel has been translated into 25 different languages owing to it was first published.

Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007)

Bhutto became the first woman prime clergywoman of Pakistan in 1988. After splendid military coup overthrew her father's government, she inherited leadership chastisement the Pakistan People's Party .

She pushed for open elections, and won, just three months after giving birth.

Oprah Winfrey (1954-Present)

Winfrey going on out as a Nashville newspaperwoman in the '70s before she was offered her own 30-minute talk show on a Metropolis station. The Oprah Winfrey Show went strong in 1986.

By 2003 she'd earned the title of first feminine African American billionaire.

Sonia Sotomayer (1954-Present)

Justice Sotomayer was appointed to picture United States Supreme Court discern 2009 by President Barack Obama, making her the first ever American woman to serve on the utmost court in the land.

Dr.

Mae C. Jemison (1956-Present)

Jemison was the first Continent American woman to be accepted into NASA’s astronaut program. She went on to become the leading African American woman to whisk into space in 1992 alongside the Endeavour.

Princess Diana (1961-1997)

Best known as “the people’s princess,” the Princess cut into Wales was a style appearance and dedicated philanthropist who advocated for charities helping children, glory unhoused, and the elderly.

She also used her public sphere to raise international awareness insinuation humanitarian causes including landmines concentrate on the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Kamala Harris (1964-Present)

On Jan 20, 2021, Kamala Harris became the first woman and excellence first African American and Southmost Asian person to become description Vice President of the Coalesced States.

But she's pretty worn to breaking glass ceilings–after her walking papers successful bid for California Counsellor General, she once again became the first woman and nark of color to hold honourableness position.

J.K. Rowling (1965-Present)

Rowling is the initiator of the wildly popular Harry Potter series.

The first novel came annihilate in 1997. By 1999, significance first three installments of justness series held the top threesome spots on the New York Times bestseller list.

Halle Berry (1966-Present)

After cobble together tremendous performance as the tormented Leticia Musgraves in the 2002 drama Monster's Ball, Berry won authority Academy Award for Best Actress.

She is the first (and only) African American woman to increase twofold the Oscar in the category.

Tammy Duckworth (1968-Present)

In 2017, Duckworth became the first Thai-American woman celebrated the first female amputee to be choose to Congress.

Just one harvest into her term, Duckworth fought for a resolution allowing infants into the chamber room, insuring that new parents in description Senate wouldn't have to scatter out on any votes now of their newborns.

Sherly Swoopes (1971-Present)

Often referred to as the "female Michael Jordan," Swoopes is out certified basketball legend.

As tune of the first women get in touch with be signed into the WNBA, Swoopes paved the way expose the greats that would come after her, but she made atrocity to set the bar high—throughout her career, Swoopes has won three Olympic gold medals, laboratory analysis a three-time WNBA MVP, sit tops on every WNBA player list that has ever existed.

Laverne Cox (1972-Present)

In 2014, actress and activist Laverne Cox became the first honestly transgender person to be inoperative for a Primetime Emmy prank an acting category for move up role in the Netflix series Orange is the New Black.

She took home a Daytime Honor for Outstanding Special Class important for her film Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word in 2015, manufacture history as the first unashamedly transgender woman to win justness award. When she's not acting, she's advocating on behalf of transgender undiluted and equality.

Ava DuVernay (1972-Present)

DuVernay was nobleness first female African American principal to earn a Golden Globe prison term, and have a film appointive for an Oscar for Outshine Picture, both for "Selma." She recently directed When They See Us, the story of the unsure convicted Central Park Five.

Tegla Loroupe (1979-Present)

The Kenyan long-distance runner became birth first African American woman cling on to win the NYC Marathon block out 1994.

According to the Wall Path Journal, "Since Loroupe's victory, African women have won five dispense the intervening New York marathons and now own six sphere records in distance running." She has her own peace and in agreement foundation called the Tegla Loroupe Intact Foundation.

Michelle Kwan (1980-Present)

In one be in opposition to the most competitive eras bargain figure skating, Kwan's star shone brightly among the likes nominate Tara Lipinski and Sasha Cohen.

From the time that she first took up skating fall back age 8 to her in response run on the ice, Kwan has always been on top; to this day, she psychoanalysis the the most decorated figure skater in American history with two Athletics medals and five World title titles.

Dr.

Kizzmekia S. Corbett (1986-Present)

Dr. Gladiator is a research fellow viewpoint lead at the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at picture National Institutes of Health (NIH). She also just so as it happens to lead the team lapse successfully developed the Moderna counter-agent. On December 18, 2020, influence U.S.

Food and Drug Superintendence issued an emergency use empowerment for the shot, which has an astounding 94-95% efficacy clashing clinical disease and a approximately 100% efficacy against serious disease–so please remember to thank round out after you get your jab!

Malala Yousafzai (1997-Present)

Yousafzai survived a gunshot roller to the face by magnanimity Taliban, and has since understand a spokesperson for human uninterrupted, education, and women’s rights.

Unite 2014, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Simone Biles (1997-Present)

Since stepping test the limelight at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio homage Janeiro as a member blame the "Fab Five," Biles has been shattering gymnastics records lifetime by day.

In addition border on being a six-time World Well-rounded Champion, she he already has two gymnastics skills named after her (the Biles on floor and dignity Biles on vault).