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Women’s History

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51 Famous Women in History Who Have Changed the World

From outer space to the Oscars stage, these trailblazers have left their mark.

By Janaya Wecker, Catherine Caruso
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Biography: Marie Curie

In 1903, Marie Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel prize, paving the way for future women in the field of science.

feminist suffragist parade 1912 photo

The Women Behind the 19th Amendment

bobby riggs squeezes billie jean kings flexed bicep as she holds a tennis ball in her hand, both look right of the camera and stand on a tennis court, riggs is caught talking and king smiles

Billie Jean King and the “Battle of the Sexes”

two people on stage with american flags in the background

10 Groundbreaking Women in U.S. Politics

frida kahlo sits on a table while wearing a floral head piece, large earrings, a plaid blouse and striped pants, she looks off to the right

14 Hispanic Women Who Have Made History

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Figures in Women’s History

kamala harris smiles at the camera as she stands behind a podium with microphones, she wears a blue suit jacket, white blouse and pearl necklace

Kamala Harris

TTS audio available18 min
alice ball in cap and gown

Alice Ball

gloria steinem

Gloria Steinem

simone biles smiles at the camera, she wears a black leotard with gemstones, a white hair ribbon, and a gold medal with a red, white, and blue lanyard

Simone Biles

sonia sotomayor wears her black supreme court justice robes, dangling pearl earrings, and red lipstick, she smiles at the camera, and her curly hair frames her face down to her neck

Sonia Sotomayor

Georgia O'Keefe

Georgia O'Keeffe

susan b anthony facing left of the camera in a black and white photo, she has a solemn expression on her face and her hair is pulled back into a low bun, she is wearing wire rimmed glasses and a fancy black satin dress with white and black lace detailing, a cameo brooch is attached to the dress collar

Susan B. Anthony

representative deb haaland

Deb Haaland

selena quintanilla holds a grammy award and smiles at the camera

Selena Quintanilla

florence nightingale

Florence Nightingale

Media mogul Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey

ava duvernay

Ava DuVernay

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time 100 summit 2019

Jane Goodall

TTS audio available16 min
Caitlin Clark WNBA player for the Indiana Fever

Caitlin Clark

marsha p johnson in dark outfit and black hair smiles as she stands on the corner of christopher street and 7th avenue during the pride march

Marsha P. Johnson

Singer Dua Lipa smiling at an award event

Dua Lipa

Ronda Rousey at a preview event for her fight with Gina Carano

Ronda Rousey

Hedy Lamarr in a scene from the movie "Ziegfeld Girl" which was released on April 25, 1941. (

Hedy Lamarr

dr. lise meitner

8 Female Scientists Whose Discoveries Were Credited to Men

Lucille Ball

Lucille Ball

More Women to Make History

Malala Yousafzai Photo

9 Facts You May Not Know About Malala Yousafzai

Here are some interesting tidbits about the Children's education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
By Biography.com Editors
Alice Ball and 7 Female Scientists Whose Discoveries Were Credited to Men

Alice Ball and 7 Female Scientists Whose Discoveries Were Credited to Men

By Eudie Pak
jane goodall with a chimpanzee in her arms, c. 1995

How Jane Goodall Became a Chimp Expert Without a College Degree

By Catherine Caruso, Lesley Kennedy
maya angelou gestures while speaking in a chair during an interview at her home in 1978

5 Crowning Achievements of Maya Angelou

By Biography.com Editors
biographies of women, crying in h mart, leah remini, know my name, demi moore inside out, finding me, wild cheryl strayed, becoming michelle

The 10 Best Biographies Written by Women

By Amy Mackelden