Well it is 2016. We are deep into the political arena for the race for a new President. Yes, we are down to one female candidate. The litany of mudslinging gets worse as the time gets closer. We have come a long way from the day when American activists such as Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony and hundreds of other women throughout the world paved the way for the women of today. Yes we have made some changes in the last ninety plus years in not only the United States and the world, but we still have a long way to go baby!
Today, March 8 is designed International Women's Day. In a time we designate each day something new: National Donut Day, National Grandparent's Day, National Eat Your Green Vegetables Day (I don't know if that day is actually designated but I am sure someone will add it to the list) Every day is an important day for one reason or the other. Personally, my day was filled with snippets of just about everything imaginable.
Women today have a plate full of duties that seems to never end either by choice or by life's requirements. Looking back at women's history, especially reading many articles over the past 24 hours many words come to mind but my favorite is--resilience. When at a point in history you think it may be lost on deaf ears it comes back with a vengeance.
A post on the Times Magazine Facebook page reflected on how March became Women's History Month. Although February 28, 1909 was one of the first notable dates, in more recent history Former President, Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation declaring March 2-8, 1980 Women's History Week. A variety of sites such as The Women's Rights National Historic Park, Alice Paul Institute and the National Women's History provides a vast amount of information about women's history and insight into the thousands of women who have made a difference in the world today because of struggles they experienced.
I randomly came across a poem called "A Strong Woman vs. A Woman of Strength by Luke Easter. Take a moment to read it. I am sure you might find something in it that either you believe, you have witnessed or maybe something you aspire to in your life.
I compiled this list several years ago as an informational sheet while in charge of a women's organization speaker event. When you take the time to look at just these 100 women you can add so many more to this list of inspirational females. Many of these women broke barriers and the new generation will break down even more. Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson and Patricia Arquette are just a few recently in the news and I am sure you can come up with your own 100 List of Ladies who are an inspiration.
This is the thing about women our lists are endless in what we have accomplished and can accomplish, don't be silent--In this situation, "silence is NOT golden".
100 Influential,
Famous and Infamous Women in History
- Esther
(Bible)
- Amelia
Earhart
- Anne
Frank
- Helen
Keller
- Anne
Sullivan
- Mother
Theresa
- Martha
Washington
- Susan
B. Anthony
- Rosa
Parks
- Joan
of Arc
- Sonja
Henie
- Lilian
Gish
- Kate
Smith
- Ella
Fitzgerald
- Martha
Stewart
- Maribel
Vinson (figure skating)
- Eleanor
Roosevelt
- Danielle
Steel
- J K
Rowlings
- Madonna
- Annie
Oakley
- Peggy
Fleming
- Jackie
Kennedy
- Barbara
Walters
- Charlotte
Bronte
- Helen
Gurley Brown
- Geraldine
Ferraro
- Babe
Didrickson Zaharias (sports, track, golf)
- Oprah
Winfrey
- Danica
Patrick (auto racing)
- Diane
Sawyer
- Esther
Williams
- Alice
Paul
- Nancy
Pelosi
- Betty
Grable
- Lucille
Ball
- Bonnie
Parker
- Marie
Pasteur
- Dorothy
Hamill
- Clara
Barton
- Shirley
Muldoney (first female drag racer)
- Marie
Antoniette
- Gloria
Allred
- Gloria
Steineim
- Liu
Yang (first Chinese astronaut)
- Louisa
Mae Alcott
- Shirley
Temple
- Libby
Riddles (1985 First Iditarod
Champion)
- Wilma
Rudolph
- Madeline
Albright
- Mary
Kay Ash
- Debbi
Fields (Mrs. Fields Cookie founder)
- Carrie
Chapman Catt
- Christa
McAuliffe
- Queen
Noor of Jordan
- Pocahantas
- Sally
Ride
- Sara
Blakely (Spanx founder)
- Bethanny
Frankel
- Josephine
Baker
- Angela
Merkel (German Chancellor)
- Indira
Gandhi
- Cathy
Rigby
- Billie
Jean King
- Deborah
Simpson (first female military service)
- Dilma
Rousseff ( first Brazil president)
- Deila
Hasket Rawson (first female letter carrier)
- Mary
Kies (first woman receive U.S. patent 1809)
- Lettie
Pate Whitehead (first to serve on board of directors Coke)
- Betty
Ford
- Hillary
Clinton
- Florence
Nightingal
- Dolly
Madison
- Marissa
Meyer (Yahoo CEO)
- Marie
Curie
- Elizabeth
Taylor
- Grace
Kelly
- Charlotte
Cooper (first Wimbeldon winner)
- Norma
McCorvey (Roe vs. Wade)
- Cleopatra
- Anne
Boleyn
- Clara
Boothe Luce
- Susanna
Madora Salter(first woman Mayor KS 1887)
- Marie
Ruoff Bryum (first woman to vote 1920 MO)
- Molly
Williams (first female firefighter 1815 NY slave)
- Mabel
Fairbanks (1st Black
Professional Figure Skater)
- Emily
Dickinson
- Sandra
Day O’Conner
- Jane
Goodall
- Hedda
Hopper (Hollywood Gossip
Columnist)
- Eva
Peron
- Alice
Stebbins Wells (1910 1st
Los Angeles Police Officer)
- Margaret
Thatcher
- Erin
Brockovich
- Lady
Diana Spencer
- Katie
Couric
- Hazel
Palmer
- Arabella
Mansfield (1869 First Female Law
School Graduate)
- Mary Katherine Goddard (1777 Postmaster)
- Phyllis Diller
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