Since time immemorial, women have had to work twice as hard to move forward in their careers and life. But they have responded to the challenge with grit and determination.
Throughout history, women have made a name for themselves. We applaud these incredible women and share some of their stories to inspire you.
Marie Curie: 1867 – 1934
Marie Curie was a scientist of Polish descent but lived in France, where she met her husband, Pierre. Together with her husband and Henri Becquerel, she received a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 after they discovered radioactivity.
Marie earned a solo Nobel Prize in 1911 for isolating pure radium. Marie Curie became the first woman to win this auspicious prize and also the first person to ever win it in two different sciences.
Mother Teresa: 1910 – 1997
Mother Teresa was a nun in the Catholic Church. She gave up her life in Macedonia to care for the sick and poor of Calcutta, India. Describing her work as God’s work, she started a charity called the Order of the Missionaries of Charity which continues helping people around the world.
Mother Teresa was awarded the Padma Shri In 1962 by the Indian government, one of its highest civilian honors. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work with the poor. She was canonized by Pope Francis in 2016 as Saint Teresa.
Rosa Parks: 1913 – 2005
Rosa Parks was instrumental in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 and is famous for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Alabama. For this act of defiance, she has been revered as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.”
A seamstress by trade, her single stay of resolve put Pastor Martin Luther King, Jr. on the map and ignited a civil rights movement across America. The United States Congress named Rosa Parks, “the first lady of civil rights.”
Queen Elizabeth II: 1926 –
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history after taking the throne at a mere 25 years old. She is loved and respected around the globe by subjects and non-citizens alike and is still the most hardworking royal, carrying out hundreds of engagements a year.
Since succeeding her father in 1952, the Queen has reigned through some pretty challenging times, including the 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland and a few royal scandals, but she was also there at the advent of television and smartphones, using Zoom to speak to her family.
During her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the Monarch stated in her address to parliament, “Change is a constant … The way we embrace it defines our future.” It is through this very ability to adapt and change that Queen Elizabeth II has managed to rule for 68 years.
Maya Angelou: 1928 – 2014
Maya Angelou was a poet, singer, and civil rights activist. At one time she even worked in the sex trade as a prostitute and Madame. The author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and seven autobiographies, what made her unique was that she regretted nothing.
Maya Angelou was also a leading personality within the American Civil Rights Movement, working alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. In 2011, President Obama awarded her the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: 1929 – 1994
Jackie was a former First Lady of the United States whose grace and style was admired by all. As a professional woman and a dedicated mother who overcame great tragedy on the world stage, Jackie inspired women everywhere.
Jackie’s determination to reinvent herself allowed her to become a successful book editor and advocate for historic preservation. She made it clear that she was more than just her good looks.
Oprah Winfrey: 1954 –
Winfrey began her TV career at the age of 19, making her the youngest person and first African-American woman to read the main news in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1984, she took over as anchor on A.M. Chicago and changed the focus of the show.
As the show gained popularity, it was renamed the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah Winfrey is also known for her charitable work. She has set up two foundations and donated millions of dollars of her own money.
Winona LaDuke: 1959 –
Winona LaDuke is an internationally renowned environmentalist and a Native American activist. LaDuke deals with issues such as climate change, renewable energy, and environmental justice, filing lawsuits to recover lands that were withheld from Native American communities.
Winona LaDuke was recognized for her leadership and community commitment and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2007, and is a two-time vice-presidential candidate for the Green Party.
Diana, Princess of Wales: 1961 – 1997
Diana Spencer was married to Prince Charles, but upon their divorce, she lost the “Her Royal Highness” title and was simply called “Princess of Wales.” The relationship she had forged with the commoners made her a people’s princess, so they called her Princess Diana instead.
Princess Diana’s death was felt throughout the world as people were in awe of her charm and unconventional style of charity work. She will be remembered most for leading campaigns to accept people living with AIDS, and her efforts against landmines.
Michelle Obama: 1964 –
Becoming the first African-American First lady brought her into the limelight, but Michelle Obama also initiated several helpful initiatives during Barack Obama’s Presidency, including the Let's Move! campaign to fight childhood obesity in the U.S.
Michelle Obama’s official portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Her remarks upon seeing it was, “I am thinking about all of the young people, particularly girls and girls of color…and they will look up and see someone who looks like them hanging on the walls of this great institution.”
