Here is an ever growing list of some strong women role models. Women that have strove to break through the barriers placed before them by humanity, society, and cultural conditioning. These women come from all walks of life and have achieved great things in their field of expertise. It is the opinion of this site that these women should be revered and recognized for their achievements.
Jane Addams
Jane Addams
Birth date: September 6th 1860
Nationality: American
Occupation: Social and political activist, author
Contribution to humanity: Jane Addams was the co-founder
of the first settlement house in America, a place that provided a public
kitchen, adult night classes, kindergarten classes, a gym, public bathing
facility, music and drama school, and library, along with other opportunities
for people to get on their feet. Addams was also a major contributor to women's
rights and building a community of women dedicated to strengthening and enriching their
environment.
Clara Barton
Clara Barton
Birth date: December 25th 1821
Nationality: American
Occupation: Teacher, Nurse, Founder and President of
American Red Cross
Contribution to humanity: Clara Barton created and organized
the American Red Cross. As a nurse on the battlefield during the civil war the
horrors of war didn't keep her from helping and tending to wounded soldiers.
After the war she created an office for missing soldiers to find answers for
family and friends and to honor the soldiers. She traveled around the world to
establish humanitarian aid as the Red Cross.
Rosa Bonheur
Rosa Bonheur
Birth date: March 16th 1822
Nationality: France
Occupation: Painter, Sculptor
Contribution to humanity: Rosa Bonheur is one of the
first women to challenge the limitations on aspiring female artists set by men.
She painted works of art that could not be ignored for their expertise and
amazing beauty. As a woman, she dared to go where women were forbade, and
captured timeless scenes through the feminine perspective that for so long had
been suppressed.
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Birth date: January 9th 1908
Nationality: French
Occupation: 20th century Philosopher
Click Here to Read an Essay About Simone de Beauvoir
Contribution to humanity: Simone de Beauvoir is considered
one of the 20th century's greatest thinkers. Her most famous book and
contribution to exposing the oppression dealt to women is The Second Sex. She meticulously rebukes and exposes societies'
unjust and unequal treatment of women. Another incredible work and contribution
to humanity as a whole is her book The
Coming of Age. Beauvoir analyzes the one thing that young and middle aged
humans seem to forget, old age, and the position of the senior citizen in
society.
Elizabeth Blackwell M.D.
Elizabeth Blackwell M.D.
Birth date: February 3rd 1821
Nationality: British
Occupation: First Female Doctor
Contribution to humanity: Elizabeth Blackwell was the
first woman doctor in America and was recognized on the UK Medical Registry as
a doctor at a time when women practicing medicine was unheard of or illegal.
She encouraged other women to pursue medicine and fought for women's rights as
the movement began. She also was cofounder of one of the first hospitals
dedicated to women and children.
Marie Curie
Marie Curie aka. Madame Curie
Birth date: November 7th 1867
Nationality: Polish
Occupation: Scientist-Physicist-Chemist
Contribution to humanity: Marie Curie discovered
radium and polonium and created a theory surrounding radioactivity as well as
coined the term. Xrays are just one of the many benefits of her studies. She's the
first woman to have won the Nobel Prize and the only woman to have one it in two
fields. She also was an activist for a free Poland during World War I.
Anne Frank
Anne Frank
Birth date: June 12th 1929
Nationality: German, after 1941-stateless
Occupation: A child that would have probably grown
to be an incredible journalist
Contribution to humanity: Anne Frank left behind an
incredible diary documenting the persecution and atrocities committed by the
Nazis during World War II on the Jewish people. She describes her time in
hiding, the painful loss and sorrow of losing family members to torture and
death, the deprivation and imprisonment and eventually the betrayal that would
lead to her and her sister's death.
Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Birth date: April 3rd 1934
Nationality: British
Occupation: Scientist-Primatologist-Ethologist-Anthropologist
Contribution to
humanity: Jane Goodall has worked her entire life toward conservation and
protection of animals. She spent 45 years studying chimpanzees in Tanzania and
documenting their social and familial interactions. She created the Jane
Goodall Institute to insure people were educated on caring for animals and
their habitats as well as the ongoing conservation and protection of animals.
Grace Murray Hopper
Grace Murray Hopper aka. Amazing Grace
Birth date: December 9th 1906
Nationality: American
Occupation: Naval Officer (Rear Admiral)
Contribution to
humanity: Grace Murray Hopper is one the first developers of several computer
languages, a Ph.D. in mathematics, and one of the oldest commissioned officers,
in the navy, at the time of her final retirement. She was renowned for her
amazing ability to work with equipment in the form of taking it apart, fixing
it, and putting it back together as well as incredible programming and mathematics
knowledge.
Meena Keshwar Kamal
Meena Keshwar Kamal
Birth date: February 27th 1956
Nationality: Persian, Pashto
Occupation: Social and Political Activist
Contribution to humanity: Meena Keshwar Kamal is an
Afghan female activist who challenged the oppression and violent subjugation of
women. She founded a magazine that gave voice to women's rights and created a
school to promote women's education. She started an organization (RAWA) to
rally women to revolt against male fundamentalist suppression.
Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Birth date: June 27th 1880
Nationality: American
Occupation: Social and Political Activist, Author
Contribution to humanity: Helen Keller became
seriously ill as a toddler, and ended up losing her sight and hearing, but
despite these losses she went on to earn a bachelor's degree and write numerous
books as well as fight for women's rights, workers' rights, education for the
blind, and world peace.
Dorothea Lange
Dorothea Lange
Birth date: May 26th 1895
Nationality: American
Occupation: Photographer
Contribution to
humanity: During the Great Depression Dorothea Lange took her camera and
captured photographs of the unemployed and homeless people caught up in hard
economic times, and brought their suffering to the forefront of society,
ushering in help and change. The rest of her career was spent on the west coast
capturing unforgettable images of the poor and socially neglected, ranging from
migrant workers to sharecroppers and her photos were given free to major
newspapers and magazines to bring attention to the pain and sorrow of the many
who were struggling.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Birth date: June 19th 1945
Nationality: Burmese
Occupation: Political Activist, Politician
Contribution to humanity: Aung San Suu Kyi has
dedicated her life to fight for a free and democratic Burma. She speaks and
writes for government free of corrupt politicians and inspires citizens to rise
up against fear and oppression. Twenty years of her life has been spent in house
arrest because of her outspoken position.
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks aka. The first lady of civil rights
Birth date: February 4th 1913
Nationality: American
Occupation: Civil Rights Activist
Contribution to humanity: Rosa Parks in 1955, when
asked to give up her seat to a white passenger, refused to move to a different
seat, which in turn sparked the Montogomery Bus Boycott, eventually helping to
abolish segregation. Her entire life was dedicated to fighting for civil rights
and equality.
Mother Theresa
Mother Theresa
Birth date: August 26th 1910
Nationality: Born in Albania but died a citizen of
India
Occupation: Humanitarian, Nun
Contribution to humanity: Mother Theresa dedicated
her life to the poor and infirm in India as well as the rest of the world. She
offered hope and inspiration to all people through her words, faith and
actions. She worked against political and societal corruption and improved
living conditions for many who were helpless around the world. Mother Theresa
opened orphanages to protect children and created places to die with dignity
for the forgotten.
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
Birth date: November 26th 1883
Nationality: American
Occupation: Servant, Abolitionist, Author
Contribution to humanity: Sojourner Truth fought for
the rights of African Americans and women. She wrote and spoke about the subjugation
of her race and gender. When the abolitionist cause was just getting started,
she spoke at an event that was crucial in defending the movement and her speech,
Ain't I a Woman?, stands today as one
of the most empowering speeches for the oppressed or low in spirit.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Birth date: November 5th 1850
Nationality: American
Occupation: Author, Poet
Contribution to humanity: "Laugh, and the world laughs with you, Weep, and you weep alone," are timeless words that echo through the generations and were penned by the poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Wilcox left behind volumes of poetry, but the significance of her writing isn't in the quantity it's in the insight and observations that she was able to so powerfully present in her poems.To read some of her most beautiful works go to the "Poems" section on the navigation
bar to the left.
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
Birth date: January 25th 1882
Nationality: British
Occupation: Teacher, Author
Contribution to humanity: Virginia Woolf was an
activist for equality and wrote incredible essays defending and arguing women's
rights and place within society. She was asked to write an essay for a women's
conference and the essay turned into a small book known as, A Room of One's Own, which eloquently
and ingeniously challenges society's view of women.
If you would like to add to this list we would love to hear from you about strong women role models and their accomplishments.
Thank you
