What does it take to make history? From Susan B. Anthony to Rosa Parks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there's been no shortage of women who weren't afraid to fight the good fight and change the world. In celebration of Women's History Month, we're putting the spotlight on the contributions of women in history by honoring the pioneers who made major advances in civil rights, women's suffrage, racial equality, environmental justice, reproductive rights, and much, much more. Ahead, we've rounded up the stories behind some of the most influential women, ever. And make sure to check back often; we're adding a new name to the list every day in March.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
(1815 - 1902)
Her mark on history: The women's suffrage movement
How life would be different without her: Stanton, a formally educated woman born in Johnstown, NY, was involved in the abolitionist and women's suffrage movements. In 1848, she helped organize America's first convention for women's rights. She later worked with Susan B. Anthony to present a bill on women's rights to the New York Legislature, and the pair's efforts eventually led to the passage of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Her words to live by:"The best protection any woman can have…is courage."
Harriet Beecher Stowe
(1811 - 1896)
Her mark on history: Abolitionist and author of Uncle Tom's Cabin
How life would be different without her: Stowe was born into a prominent religious family in Connecticut, and her father was a Calvinist preacher. When Stowe's family moved to Cincinnati, she joined a literary club, where she met her husband, an abolitionist. The pair supported the work of the Underground Railroad, and Stowe went on to write Uncle Tom's Cabin, which described the horrible treatment of slaves in America. The book sold more than 300,000 copies the first year it was published and helped many Americans learn about the harsh realities of slavery.
Her words to live by:"It's a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done."
Dorothea Dix
(1802-1887)
Her mark on history: Pioneering treatment for mental health
How life would be different without her: Dorothea Dix, a teacher in Boston, fought tirelessly to de-stigmatize mental illness. After teaching at a local prison and learning of the poor living conditions there, Dix traveled to other prisons in Massachusetts to observe the quality of life for the imprisoned and insane. She took her findings to Massachusetts' legislature, which led to the creation of America's first mental institutions. After the mental institutions were formed, Dix also served as the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the American Civil War. When the war was over, Dix continued writing about her experiences and fighting for better treatment of people struggling with mental illness.
Her words to live by:"In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do."
Billie Jean King
(born 1943)
Her mark on history: Champion of women's sports: Former World No. 1 professional tennis player who won 39 Grand Slam titles
How life would be different without her: King was an incredible tennis player — she won six Wimbledon championships as well as four U.S. Open titles. But she's also lauded as a key figure in the fight for equality in professional sports. During 1973's "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match, a nationally televised media event, King beat Bobby Riggs (who was roughly 30 years older than her during the match), and her victory was hailed as a win for female athletes everywhere. That same year, King founded the Women's Tennis Association. King has also spoken out against the sexism in the way many people discuss female athletes' appearance, telling CNN in 2015 that commentators should "stop evaluating" their looks and instead focus on their achievements. In addition, she was one of the first openly gay female athletes.
Her words to live by:"Champions keep playing until they get it right."
Lucretia Mott
(1793 - 1880)
Her mark on history: Pioneer of the women's rights movement
How life would be different without her: Mott, a Quaker, was an abolitionist and women's rights activist who fought for equal rights for all citizens. In 1833, she helped to form the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society and was an organizer of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, a landmark women's rights gathering, where she served as the keynote speaker. During the convention, the attendees penned the Declaration of Sentiments, a list of rights they believed women deserved.
Her words to live by:"The world has never yet seen a truly great and virtuous nation, because in the degradation of woman, the very fountains of life are poisoned at their source."
Maya Angelou
(1928-2014)
Her mark on history: American literature
How life would be different without her: Angelou authored seven autobiographical books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and will be forever beloved for her powerful poems. Born in Missouri, she was an active voice in the civil rights movement. She recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration in 1993. In addition to gaining national recognition for her writing, Angelou made many people rethink their ideas about sex workers by writing about her own experience as a sex worker.
Her words to live by:"Be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud."
Sacagawea
(1788-1812)
Her mark on history: Member of the Lewis and Clark expedition
How life would be different without her: A Native American from the Shoshone tribe, Sacajawea was married to French fur trapper Toussaint Charbonneau when the couple joined the expedition ordered by Thomas Jefferson to explore the lands of the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. Sacagawea's language skills made her an invaluable resource for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the expedition's leaders, on a trek that took them from St. Louis, MO, to the Pacific Ocean in 1804 to 1806. Sacajawea brought her newborn son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, on the mission, too — he was born just two months before the group headed west. While Sacajawea ended up on the mission largely because of her husband, she proved to be essential to it in her own right, becoming an example for generations of women in the United States.
Madeleine Albright
(born 1937)
Her mark on history: The first female U.S. secretary of state
How life would be different without her: Born in Czechoslovakia, Albright and her parents moved to the United States when she was a child. Albright has been candid about her childhood experiences — in 2015, she tweeted, "My family fled Hitler and then communism. Becoming an American was the best thing that ever happened to me." As a diplomat representing the U.S. government, she served as ambassador to the United Nations before Bill Clinton named her secretary of state in 1996. Albright paved the way for Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. She has never been afraid to speak her mind: She recently told CNN that the 2016 GOP primary race is "like children in a school yard calling each other names."
Her words to live by:"There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women."
Sojourner Truth
(1797-1883)
Her mark on history: The U.S. abolitionism movement
How life would be different without her: Sojourner Truth escaped slavery in Ulster County, N.Y., in 1826, along with her infant daughter. Truth also made history when she won a legal battle against a white man to get her son back when he was sold into slavery in Alabama. She was an essential figure in the abolitionism movement, and she is widely recognized for her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech, delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention.
Her words to live by:"Truth is powerful, and it prevails."
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
(born 1933)
Her mark on history: The U.S. Supreme Court
How life would be different without her: Ginsburg was the second female justice ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (Sandra Day O'Connor was the first). Now, she serves along with two other female justices, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg fought for women's rights as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. Ginsburg continues to fight for equality as a Supreme Court justice today.
Her words to live by:"Now the perception is, yes, women are here to stay,"Ginsburg said of the Supreme Court during the 10th Circuit Bench & Bar Conference in 2012. "And when I'm sometimes asked, 'When will there be enough?' and I say, 'when there are nine,' people are shocked. But there'd been nine men, and nobody's ever raised a question about that."
Susan B. Anthony
(1820-1906)
How she made her mark on history: The women's suffrage movement
How life would be different without her: A teacher in the New York state school system, Anthony fought for equal education for women and Black people in 19th-century America. She orchestrated the first women's suffrage convention in Washington, D.C. in 1869, and three years later, was arrested and convicted for voting in Rochester, N.Y. She refused to pay her fine. In 1920, the United States passed the 19th Amendment, unofficially known as the Anthony Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Her words to live by: "Independence is happiness."
Gloria Steinem
(born 1934)
How she made her mark on history: The second-wave feminism movement
How life would be different without her: Steinem is one of modern feminism's most inspiring voices. She testified in Senate hearings about the Equal Rights Amendment in 1970, and has been vocal about a variety of issues that impact women, including reproductive rights, child abuse, and female genital mutilation. She grabbed national attention with her undercover exposé of working as a Playboy bunny, rose to prominence as a columnist for New York magazine, and cofounded the feminist magazine Ms.
Her words to live by:"Imagine we are linked, not ranked."
Rosa Parks
(1913-2005)
How she made her mark on history: The Civil Rights movement
How life would be different without her: Parks helped spark a revolution when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus in Montgomery, AL, in 1955. She was arrested and eventually lost her job as a seamstress at a local department store. But her act of civil disobedience inspired a boycott of Montgomery's buses that lasted 381 days and drew national attention. The following year, the Supreme Court declared segregation on buses to be unconstitutional — an important victory in the fight for racial equality in the United States.
Her words to live by:"I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up, and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom,” Parks told Life magazine in 1988.
Jane Goodall
(born 1934)
Her mark on history: The world's leading primatologist
How life would be different without her: Born in London, Goodall has been fascinated with animals since she was child, and she wrote her doctoral thesis at Cambridge University about her research on the behavior of chimpanzees. She is now one of the world's most knowledgeable experts on the species, which she has studied in Tanzania for more than 50 years. She now advocates on behalf of many endangered animals, and she's spread awareness about a variety of animal species to people across the globe.
Her words to live by:"To achieve global peace, we must not only stop fighting each other, but also stop destroying the natural world."
Sandra Day O'Connor
(born 1930)
Her mark on history: The first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court
How life would be different without her: Former President Ronald Reagan appointed O'Connor to the Supreme Court in 1981, and she served as an associate justice until her retirement in 2006. As a moderate conservative, O'Connor gained support from both sides of the aisle and served as an example for future justices. In 2009, President Obama awarded O'Connor the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Her words to live by:"The power I exert on the court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender."
Clara Barton
(1821 - 1912)
Her mark on history: The American Red Cross
How life would be different without her: Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881, after serving as a nurse during the Civil War. Her work directly affected countless lives, and the Red Cross continues to help the wounded today. Aside from her work in establishing the aid organization, Barton also knew Susan B. Anthony and was active in the women's suffrage movement.
Her words to live by:"The surest test of discipline is its absence."
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