Biographies generously sponsored by Susan D. Whiting.

Biographies

Every woman has a story.

"The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon."

-Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings

Women have always played an active role in history. Explore some of the historical women and contemporary newsmakers that continue to impact the world. New biographies are added regularly, so check back to discover inspiring new stories!

Featured Biographies

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a skilled performer and woman guitarist, credited with the creation of rock and roll.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Toshiko Akiyoshi changed the face of jazz music over her 60-year career. As one of few women and Asian musicians in the jazz world, Akiyoshi infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music.

Toshiko Akiyoshi

Often called the “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey was known for her deep-throated voice and mesmerizing stage presence that drew packed audiences and sold hit records in the early twentieth century.

Gertrude “Ma” Rainey

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Biography

We’wha

We’wha, a Lhamana (Zuni Two Spirit) individual, took on both male & female tasks as a Zuni cultural ambassador and artist. We’wha worked to preserve the history, traditions, & knowledge of the Zuni people.

Biography

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley was the first African American woman to publish a book of poems.

Biography

Mary Lou Williams

One of the greatest jazz pianists, composers, and arrangers of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a swing and bebop icon.

Biography

Serena Williams

Considered the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, and perhaps the greatest athlete of all time, Serena Williams has revolutionized women’s tennis since the 1990s.

Biography

Brownie Wise

Brownie Wise was a self-made woman who revolutionized marketing tactics and had a knack for motivating others. She introduced the now popular household item, Tupperware, to the market.

Biography

Alice Wong

Alice Wong is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community that fosters and amplifies disability media and culture.

Biography

Anna May Wong

Appearing in over sixty movies throughout her career, Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood.

Biography

Victoria Woodhull

The first woman to run for president and the first female stock broker on Wall Street, Victoria Woodhull achieved remarkable success in finance, journalism, and politics.

Biography

Chien-Shiung Wu

Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu is a pioneering physicist most known for her work on the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II and her Cobalt-60 experiment that contested the law of conservation of parity.

Biography

Janet Yellen

Dr. Janet Yellen, confirmed in January 2021 as the first female Treasury Secretary of the United States, is no stranger to breaking glass ceilings.

Biography

Malala Yousafzai

At age eleven, Malala Yousafzai was already advocating for the rights of women and girls.

Biography

Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias

One of America’s foremost female athletes, Mildred "Babe” Didrikson Zaharias broke world records in multiple sports and cofounded of the LPGA.

Biography

Zitkála-Šá ("Red Bird"/Gertrude Simmons Bonnin)

Zitkála-Šá (“Red Bird”), also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Native American musician, writer and activist who fought for women's suffrage and Indigenous voting rights in the early 20th century.