Women’s History Month: Overlooked Figures Who Shaped the World

There is a rich tapestry of iconic women who have made an impact on our world.

Harriet Tubman. Eleanor Roosevelt. Cleopatra. Liliʻuokalani. Marie Curie. Florence Nightingale. Sacagawea. Ruby Bridges. Amelia Earhart. Bessie Coleman. Toni Morrison. Jane Austen. Claudette Colvin. Rosa Parks. Frida Kahlo. Georgia O’Keefe.

I could go on.

You know their stories. But, did you know, overall, women are only represented in 0.5% of recorded history.

Our textbooks are littered with the idealization and glorification of male creators, explorers, heroes, and change-makers, but when it comes to giving women the recognition we’re due, there are countless stories lost to time.

As an self-proclaimed history nerd, I’d like to push against the tide and share with you the imprint left by a few influential women you may not have heard of before. Here are just a handful of under-appreciated trailblazers who have made a lasting mark:

1. Mary McLeod Bethune — Most people know of Shirley Chisholm, who became the first Black woman elected to U.S. Congress, but few are aware that Mary Bethune paved the way decades before Shirley’s time. Bethune advocated for racial and gender equality, served as a key advisor to five presidents, and became the first Black woman appointed to lead a U.S. federal agency as Director of the Office of Minority Affairs for the National Youth Administration. She also founded and led countless other organizations, working for the advancement of civil rights.
2. Beulah Henry — Beulah was one of the most prolific inventors of the 20th century. In her lifetime, she garnered 49 patents with over 100 household and office items credited to her name. She not only invented the vacuum-sealed ice cream freezer, but she also made countless improvements to typewriters, sewing machines, hair curlers, can openers, toys, and more.
3. Ada Lovelace — Thanks to Margot Lee Shetterly’s ‘Hidden Figures’ and the beautiful feature film based on this book, more public attention has been shone on the incredible story of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan, the three legendary pioneers whose mathematician and engineering skills fueled NASA missions and helped the U.S. dominate The Space Race. But, over 100 years before human computers, one woman became the first computer programmer in history: Ada Lovelace. London-born Lovelace developed the algorithm to calculate Bernoulli numbers with Charles Babbage’s analytical engine.
4. Mária Telkes — Known as “The Sun Queen,” Mária was a Hungarian-American biophysicist who invented the world’s first solar heating systems and the solar distiller.
5. Rebecca Lee Crumpler — Only in the last 50 years have we all seen Henrietta Lacks’ story brought to light, giving her long-deserved posthumous recognition for the effect her immortal HeLa cells have had on medical research. Lacks experienced prejudice from doctors in the field, which lead to the exploitation of her cells without her permission, the dismissal of her diagnosis, and her unfortunate, untimely death. Under similar scrutiny and discrimination, an even earlier historical figure also faced the intense scourge of racism while making her contributions in medicine: Rebecca Crumpler. Amidst the disrespect and harassment shown to her by fellow colleagues and community members in a post-Civil War south, Crumpler was the first Black woman to become a doctor in the U.S. and the first Black American to author a medical book.
6. Valerie Thomas — Valerie Thomas was a data scientist at NASA who not only oversaw the development of the Landsat program, but she also invented the illusion transmitter, shaping current innovation in surgical applications and in television and video imaging.
7. Phillis Wheatley — Anyone who is a great lover of poetry knows the stunning words of Maya Angelou. But, almost two centuries prior to Maya, Phillis Wheatley became the first Black American woman to publish poetic works. Wheatley’s poems about her lived experiences with slavery and early America drew international attention, captivating everyone from George Washington to King George III.
8. Mardy Murie — Given the moniker ‘The Grandmother of the Conservation Movement,” Mardy was a naturalist and champion of conservation efforts. She not only established the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but her work helped inspire the founding of The Wilderness Society.
9. Velma Johnston — You probably have some knowledge of Jane Goodall and her selfless efforts to preserve and protect animal welfare, particularly the chimpanzee species. But, you most likely haven’t come across the similarly passionate Velma Johnston. As a prominent U.S. animal activist, Johnston has fought against mustang and burro eradication on public lands and passed legislation to protect wild horses from capture.
10. Ida Lewis — Named the “bravest woman in America,” Ida was one of the greatest lighthouse keepers in U.S. history. She rescued over 25 people off the coast of Rhode Island, with her first rescue occurring at the mere age of 12. She was also the first woman to receive the Coast Guard’s Gold Lifesaving Medal.