First Women
There have always been women who said, “I don’t give a damn if no woman has ever done this before. I’m doing it anyway!” Each of these First Women chipped away at glass ceilings, pushed against brick walls, and challenged legal barriers.
In this blog, I present profiles of First Women from U.S. history and current news to celebrate their accomplishments. These women deserve our accolades, our admiration, our imitation. They are our past and also our future.
They are little-known women, like Victoria Claflin Woodhull who was the First Woman to run for president of the United States in 1872. It would be another 48 years before women in the United States won the right to vote.
They are well known-known women whose lives we do not fully know, like Maya Angelou who was the First Woman streetcar conductor in San Francisco, before she became the First African American Woman to have a nonfiction best-seller.
They are also famous modern women like Madeleine Albright, the First Woman Secretary of State.
The goal of this blog is to provide inspiration, generate discussion, and encourage other First Women to share their stories, in hopes that one day it will no longer be necessary to designate First Women. I anticipate the day when women will participate fully in our society and there will be no assumptions that a woman cannot do a job or hold a position she desires to fill.
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Ann Baumgartner (1918 – 2008) – First Woman to Pilot a Jet Plane
Ann Baumgartner was the First Woman to Pilot a Jet Plane
Politics and Government
First Women in 2021
Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites: Kamala Harris Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as...
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) – First Woman to Run for the House of Representatives
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s awareness of women’s issues began when she was just a girl. Reading her father’s law books, she realized that men and women were treated differently under the law. Her father would not let her tear the offending pages out of his law books, but...
August 18, 1920
Celebrate!!! This is the centennial of Women’s Independence Day in the United States. This is the 100-year anniversary of the recognition that women have the right to vote. This is the day the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified. There were women who had the right...
Voting – Wyoming Led the Way
Women who set a low value on themselves make life hard for all women. [Nellie Tayloe Ross] The United States Constitution did not acknowledge the right of women to vote until 1920. It was initially determined that states could determine who voted and only New...
Who Voted First in Colonial America?
An important event is on the horizon. Yes, we are becoming fully engaged in this voting season, but we also look forward to the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment on August 18, 1920. Understanding why it took 144 years to get to this point is difficult...
MARY McLEOD BETHUNE (1875 – 1955) – First African-American Woman with a Statue in a Washington, D.C. Public Park
Mary McLeod Bethune, during her lifetime, was called “The First Lady of Negro America” and “The First Lady of the Struggle.” In 1974 she became the First African American Woman to have a statue installed in a public park within the District of Columbia. Mary McLeod...
Victoria Woodhull – First Woman to Run for President of the United States
Why is a woman to be treated differently? Woman suffrage will succeed, despite this miserable guerilla opposition. [Victoria Woodhull] In 1870, the New York Herald published a letter to the editor written by Victoria Claflin Woodhull, announcing her...
Posthumous Interview with Jeannette Rankin
Please Note: All words in italics are direct quotes from Jeannette Rankin. The other words are from my research on this historical dynamo or from my imagination. Thank you to Ana Maria Spagna and Laura Pritchett for proposing this in one of their workshops. As the...
The Next Mayor of the City of Chicago Will Be. . .
An African-American Woman, the First in the history of Chicago, a city where minorities are in the majority and one-third of the population is black. The election is not until Tuesday, April 2nd, but the two candidates who are in the run-off are both African American...
Congressional First Women: In Pairs
Since 1922, a large percentage of the women who have gone to Congress have been First Women, the first to serve, the first to serve without following a husband into a position, the first to be elected, the first from a specific state, the first woman of color, and...
Women Senators in the 116th Congress
The media has been abuzz with news about the number of new women entering the 116thCongress, and we should celebrate! However, that celebration should be tempered a bit. When we look at the United States Senate, we find that the number of women did not increase in the...
Nevada is Number One!
Happy New Year! In 2019 we will see some exciting women participating in the U.S. Congress for the first time—and I will be writing about them. Let’s start the year though with some exciting news out of the Western United States. Nevada is the first state in the...
Barbara Underwood, First Woman State Attorney General of New York
As the country considers the connection between men’s sexual behavior and the judiciary, I thought it might be appropriate to trumpet last May’s appointment of Barbara D. Underwood as the First Woman Attorney General of the State of New York. The position became...
Clara Shortridge Foltz – First Woman Deputy District Attorney
Even though she was born in the middle of the nineteenth century, Clara Shortridge Foltz’s life may not have been dissimilar from some women today. She was a mother and career woman; she ignored barriers; and she had the courage to achieve in areas where there were no...
Jeanette Rankin, First Woman in Congress
Montana has only one representative in the U.S. House of Representatives and yet it has the distinction of having elected the First Woman representative. Montana gave women the right to vote in 1914. In 1917, three years before the rest of the nation granted suffrage...
LaToya Cantrell, First Woman Mayor of New Orleans
New Orleans, one of my two favorite cities in the United States, is celebrating its 300th birthday. Three hundred years of vibrant history, but also three hundred years without a woman mayor—until last month. LaToya Cantrell became the first female mayor of New...
Forward Momentum in the Senate
There were two major developments for First Woman in the U.S. Senate this year. One received extensive press coverage; the other did not. Tammy Duckworth Tammy Duckworth, Senator from Illinois, holds many firsts: --First Woman double amputee of the Iraq War --First...
Lives of Passionate Dedication
When First Women leave us, it is worthwhile to pause and learn what their lives taught us. Louise Slaughter served in Congress until the end of her life; Jeannette Woldseth fought to save lives as she was losing her own. Both show how a passion for others can fill a...
Senator Tammy Duckworth to Give Birth While in the Senate
Tammy Duckworth will be the First Woman in the U.S. Senate to give birth while in office. Senator Duckworth is surprised at the attention she has received since announcing her pregnancy. “It is somewhat ridiculous,” she says, “that it’s 2018 and this is such big...
Women in Western Washington Politics
Is a new day dawning? At least on the Left Coast? Women in Western Washington have reached another rung on the ladder that leads to full parity in our legislative bodies. They are running in greater numbers for local offices and, in some cases in this past election,...
“Outlander” and a First Woman
The writers of Outlander know the power of First Women. In the second episode this season Claire is examining her lot in life. She has tried to fulfill her housewifely duties (with the notable exception of the bedroom). She keeps house, raises her child, entertains...
Women in a Local Election
The State of Washington held a primary election a week ago and, although the results are not finalized, there are some things we do know about an unusual race in Seattle. Although we live across the lake from Seattle and cannot vote in Seattle, we follow their news...
Sylvia Trent-Adams – First Nurse Surgeon General
Sylvia Trent-Adams is a nurse, and the first non-physician to serve as Surgeon General of the United States (assuming the one veterinarian who held the position is counted as a physician). The position of Surgeon General was created in 1871 under President Grant’s...
The Grimke Sisters in “The Invention of Wings”
One of the many beauties of Sue Monk Kidd’s fiction is her expression of the hearts of women, through their own words. This is accomplished with language that paints pictures in the reader’s mind and both tickles and challenges the reader’s soul. So, it was with...
First Women in the Senate
When people keep telling you, you can’t do a thing, you kind of like to try. [Margaret Chase Smith] The First Woman who served in the Senate was Rebecca Latimer Felton in 1922. The governor of the state of Georgia had not supported the Nineteenth Amendment...
Irony in First Women’s Lives
The first six chapters of my book on First Women are drafted and my research keeps revealing ironies that intrigue me. I thought I’d share four ironies I uncovered in three of my First Women stories. Irony One: Nellie Tayloe Ross was the First Woman governor in the...
New Congresswomen 2017
Catherine Cortez Masto is the First Woman elected to the Senate from the State of Nevada. In addition she is the first Latina ever elected to the Senate. A Democrat, she replaced former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. She was sworn in this month, along with three...
Women’s Day – Election, 2016
Both of the editorials in The Seattle Times today are about women, not surprising given that today is historic. For the first time since this country was founded we are voting in an election where a woman is a major contender for the Presidency. Hillary Clinton is not...
Hillary Clinton Owes a Debt to the Women who Went before Her
Hillary Clinton is the First Woman ever nominated by a major political party to run for President of the United States. She has established her credentials, campaigned vigorously, and won the title. She is not, however, the first woman to run for President and there...
Virginia Raggi – First Woman Mayor of Rome
Italy’s capital city of Rome was founded in 753, B.C. Just last week, Virginia Raggi became the First Woman elected to the position of mayor of Rome. It only took 2,769 years, almost three millennia. Not only is this election historic because she is a woman, but also...
First Women in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016
Time magazine often highlights First Women in its annual list of 100 Most Influential People and this year was no exception. It is a pleasure to feature them on this blog posting, but also of interest is noting which people were selected by Time to write the profiles...
Queen Lili’uokalani – First Woman Queen of Hawai’i
On a recent visit to ‘Iolani Palace in Oahu, I paced off the room where our government had imprisoned Queen Lili’uokalani for almost a year. I tried to imagine how this well-educated, world-traveled woman maintained her spirits, sitting in that dark-paneled space, her...
Hawaiian First Women
Recently I traveled to Hawaii with my sister. The highlight was sailing joyfully on a catamaran in the Pacific on my birthday and hunting for First Women. My favorite was Queen Lili’uokalani but she deserves a blog of her own. While I'm writing that, here are a few...
Frances Perkins – First Woman in the U.S. President’s Cabinet
Recently the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (NILA) asked me to serve as their interim CEO. They offer an MFA in writing and I already respected their program as I have studied with one of NILA’s graduates and another is in my writing group. I went in ready to...
First Women of San Francisco
Last week my husband and I flew to San Francisco, into that rarefied air that can only be California. Our first stop was San Francisco, or the polyglot that columnist Herb Caen used to call Baghdad by the Bay (back when Baghdad had a romantic aura about it). As we...
First Male Spouse
I thought I had written enough about First Women in the White House, at least for now, but former President Bill Clinton led me to an addendum. Recently, he said, “There has been a lot of talk about breaking the glass ceiling. . . I want to break a ceiling. I am...
Reflections on First Women in the White House: Part Three
Hillary Clinton was the first First Lady ever elected to national office (Senator from New York) and the First Woman to win a presidential primary, in New Hampshire in 2008. She was not the first First Lady to be influential; Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Franklin D....
Reflections on First Women in the White House: Part Two
When researching Hillary Clinton’s biography, I noted that she had graduated from a woman’s college. Clinton graduated from Wellesley, as did the First Woman Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Nancy Pelosi, the First Woman Speaker of the House of Representatives,...
Reflections on First Women in the White House: Part One
As Hillary Clinton still maintains her status as frontrunner for the Democratic nomination and Carly Fiorna gains momentum for the Republican nomination, the possibility of having a First Woman president improves. It is exhilarating to imagine that two women might vie...
More First Women on Jeopardy
A couple of weeks ago, Jeopardy included another First Women category in their show. Once again I have taken the names used in their category and created a quiz. Match the descriptions below (a through e) with the names (1 to 5). Answers appear at the bottom. a....
First Women on Jeopardy
Last week, on Jeopardy, there was a category called Female Firsts. I didn’t record the full text of the questions, but I thought it might be fun to quiz the readers of this blog on the women included, but in a different format. Match the descriptions below (a through...
Kate Brown and Barbara Kay Roberts, Governors of Oregon
Yesterday Kate Brown was sworn in as Governor of Oregon. Previously she had served as Secretary of State. Since, there is no Lieutenant Governor in Oregon the Secretary of State is next in the line of succession. She was elevated to this office when Governor John...
Martha McSally – First in Combat
After the election earlier this fall, Republican Martha McSally was ahead of her competitor Democrat Ron Barber, the current representative, by less than 200 votes. A recount was conducted and, six weeks later, McSally was still ahead—by 167 votes. Her opponent...
Election History for First Woman To. . .2014
It’s hard to believe it took until 2014, but Iowa just elected its first woman to serve in Congress. Joni Ernst won her seat by casting herself as a “farm girl” who was comfortable castrating pigs. In Utah, Mia Love was the first black female Republican elected to the...
Eleanor Roosevelt – First Lady, Advocate for Human Rights
Eleanor Roosevelt was the first woman to hold a press conference as a First Lady. She was also the first First Lady to write a newspaper column, or speak at a national convention. Eleanor Roosevelt was educated at the Allenswood Girl’s Academy in London where Marie...
Donna Shalala – Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
In every community, whether large of small, there are people who lead in their community in easy and difficult times. [Donna Shalala] Donna Shalala was the first woman to head a Big Ten school, but she may be better known for holding a cabinet position. Shalala was...
Barbara Jordan – People’s Representative
“There was simply something about her that made you proud to be a part of the country that produced her.” [Former Texas governor Ann Richards] Barbara Jordan was the first African American woman to address the Democratic National Convention, but she started on the...
Tammy Baldwin – Senator from Wisconsin
“The times, they are a-changing.” [Bob Dylan] Tammy Baldwin was the first woman elected to the US House of Representatives from Wisconsin. She later became the first woman elected to the US Senate from Wisconsin. For these achievements alone, she enters the...
Sharon Pratt – Mayor of Washington, D.C.
“Divisiveness has no place in our politics. . .spitefulness and hatred only erode that which is truly magnificent about our country.” [Sharon Pratt Dixon Kelly] Sharon Pratt, like many First Women, holds several firsts: --The First...
Janet Yellen – Chair of the Federal Reserve
Janet Yellen was the First Woman to serve as Chair of the Federal Reserve.
Juanita Kreps – Secretary of Commerce
If she had a second chance, Juanita Kreps said, “I would be more flamboyant. I am plagued by this constant reference to the fact that I’m soft-spoken and gentle and don’t make waves.” Juanita Kreps is more than a First Woman To. She is a beacon for the power...
Margaret Chase Smith – Senator of Conscience
When I featured Margaret Chase Smith as the Woman of Note on December 14, I knew she was a woman of many firsts. It was not until I researched further that I learned she was also a woman of great wisdom whose words resonate today....
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
Abigail Adams, First Woman to Live in the White House
This blog is dedicated to American women who achieved a first. Although my women of note come from every American era, my blog posts have all been about modern women. As Thanksgiving approaches, however, my thoughts go back to our country’s origins, so I decided to...
Wilma Mankiller, Chief of the Cherokee Nation
“Gadugi, or working collectively for the common good, is an abiding attribute of the Cherokee culture.” [Wilma Mankiller] Wilma Mankiller’s life is a record of her belief in working for the...
Dianne Feinstein – Senator, Mayor of San Francisco
Dianne Feinstein’s career has been a succession of firsts: --the first woman to be President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors --the first woman to be Mayor of San Francisco --the first woman elected Senator from the State of California --the first woman...
Madeleine May Kunin – Governor of Vermont
As I study first women, I am beginning to see many shared characteristics: They often have more than one first to their credit; many come from families of strong women; they often help other women to be first; they speak out about issues of concern to women; and,...
Susana Martinez – Governor of New Mexico
Although liberal organizations decry Susana Martinez’ policies, her approval rating in the state of New Mexico has never fallen below 60%. Even 44% of state Democrats, the party she left to join the Republicans, give her a favorable rating. Susana Martinez...
Dee Dee Myers – Press Secretary for the President of the United States
I remember seeing Dee Dee Myers in a documentary-style episode of West Wing, and so I was not surprised to learn that she has said, “Never take it personally—and never lose your sense of humor.” Dee Dee Myers’ career has melded communications skills with...
Eleanor Holmes Norton – Congresswoman, First Chair of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
This week we commemorate the March on Washington and the Martin Luther King “I Have a Dream” speech that enthralled a nation. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congresswoman from Washington, D.C. helped to organize that march. Every day Eleanor...
Janet Reno – Attorney General
Janet Reno never abandoned her principles, in spite of criticism. “I am not fancy. I am what I appear to be,” she said. She inspires us to remain true to ourselves, to speak for ourselves and to protect those who need our strength....
Madeleine Albright – Secretary of State
Of all the “First Women To. . .” Madeleine Albright is number one on my list of women I would like to interview and, if I could invite some “First Women To. . .” to join me for dinner,...
Law and Law Enforcement
Charlotte E. Ray (1850 – 1911) – First African American Woman Attorney in the United States
Charlotte Ray’s father, Reverend Charles Bennett Ray, was a minister and abolitionist, actively working with the Underground Railroad. He also owned an African American newspaper, the Colored American. His three daughters all received an education. Charlotte attended...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg in My Own Lifetime
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the First Woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol. Only thirty-five men have been granted this honor, most of them presidents, senators, or military men. It is a fitting tribute to a woman who changed the lives of so many...
Clara Shortridge Foltz – First Woman Deputy District Attorney
Even though she was born in the middle of the nineteenth century, Clara Shortridge Foltz’s life may not have been dissimilar from some women today. She was a mother and career woman; she ignored barriers; and she had the courage to achieve in areas where there were no...
Lives of Passionate Dedication
When First Women leave us, it is worthwhile to pause and learn what their lives taught us. Louise Slaughter served in Congress until the end of her life; Jeannette Woldseth fought to save lives as she was losing her own. Both show how a passion for others can fill a...
First Women from a British Fashion Magazine
Searching the airport magazine rack, on my way to Dallas, I spied a magazine with an intriguing promo on the first page. “Incredible Women” it shouted in letters only slightly smaller than the name of the magazine, Porter. I didn’t know the magazine (turns out it’s...
Women Head Dallas Justice System
The justice system in Dallas, Texas is now headed by three women of color. All three have walked into messes but, being women, they can probably handle it. Renee Hall is the First Woman chief of the Dallas Police Department, beginning her position in September, 2017....
More First Women on Jeopardy
A couple of weeks ago, Jeopardy included another First Women category in their show. Once again I have taken the names used in their category and created a quiz. Match the descriptions below (a through e) with the names (1 to 5). Answers appear at the bottom. a....
Kerrie Orozco, Police Officer
Some firsts by women cannot be celebrated. Last Wednesday Kerrie Orozco was the first female police officer in Omaha, Nebraska to die in the line of duty. She was shot when she and another officer attempted to arrest a felon. Kerrie Orozco was a friend to many...
Virginia Nordby – Rotarian, Attorney
While studying for my Ph.D. in higher education management at the University of Michigan I took a law course taught by Virginia Nordby. The first day I walked into her class, I thought she was another student. She sat at the round table in the classroom quietly...
Diane Humeweta – U.S. Attorney, U.S. District Court Judge
Diane Humeweta is touted as an example of bipartisanship, having been nominated by a Republican and a Democratic President to serve as the First Native American Woman in legal positions. However, the facts (see below) show that politics rules Diane Humeweta received...
Arlene Violet – State Attorney General
Arlene Violet was always a fighter so it was probably not surprising when she became The First Woman To. . .be elected Attorney General of Rhode Island. In fact, she was The First Woman To. . .be Attorney General in any of the United States. During her time in office...
The Worthy Endeavor of Kym Worthy
Kym Worthy is responsible for turning national attention to the lack of concern on the parts of police and our communities for crimes of rape. Her efforts have received attention in national publications and her successes are promoting discussion. She is the first...
Kathleen O’Toole, Seattle Police Chief
Seattle recently hired its First Woman police chief, Kathleen O’Toole. She steps into a quagmire as the police department has been investigated by the Justice Department and placed under a federal consent decree for use of excessive force and biased policing. A...
Mary Jo White – S.E.C. CHAIR
Another of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2014 was Mary Jo White, head of the Securities and Exchange Commission. She is on the First Woman To. . . list because she was the first woman to serve as a U.S. Attorney in Manhattan. In...
Women in Time 100
Time magazine recently published its annual listing of the 100 Most Influential People and a number of the American women were First Women To. . . --Janet Yellen, first woman to head the Federal Reserve System. The article about her was written by Christine...
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
Sandra Day O’Connor – Justice of the Supreme Court
Sandra Day O’Connor said, “It’s great to be the first, but you don’t want to be the last.” We are all formed by our families, but that formation is rarely as publicly evident as with...
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
First Women in 2021
Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites: Kamala Harris Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as...
Seven First Women in Television
In the 1950's, when television was still new and open to experimentation, seven women assisted at its birth: Martha Rountree, Hazel Scott, Anna May Wong, Gertrude Berg, Betty White, and Lucille Ball. They were not the only women in early television, but these deserve...
Women in Disney Animation
Many of us still remember the affable Walt Disney we often saw on television. This smiling man with a twinkle in his eye hired women from the beginning of his career in animation and recognized their creativity; he did not, however, pay them well nor publicly...
Super Bowl LV’s First Women
First Women at the 2021 Super Bowl
Lucille Ball (1911-1989) – First Woman To Head a Major Hollywood Television Production Company
Lucille Desirée Ball’s life was not a trajectory to stardom. It was a slog that began with a childhood and youth constantly in upheaval. Parenting, place of residence, and expectations for her behavior varied every few years. Her career followed a similar path: steady...
Alice Dunnigan (1906-1983) – A First Woman in National Reporting
"Race and sex were twin strikes against me. I'm not sure which was the hardest to break down." [Alice Dunnigan] Alice Dunnigan had an impressive record for breaking barriers. She has multiple firsts to her name, the First Black Woman to report the national news up...
Sarah Caldwell (1924-2006) – First Woman to Conduct at the Metropolitan Opera
“If you can sell green toothpaste in this country, you can sell opera.” [Sarah Caldwell] Sarah Caldwell was the First Woman to conduct the orchestra at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. A producer, director, and impresario, as well as an opera conductor, she was...
May Sinchi Breen (1891-1970) – First Woman Inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame
May Sinchi Breen was called “The Ukulele Lady,” and even “The Goddess of Uke,” but her love of the instrument was not instant. When she was 30 years old Breen received a ukulele as a Christmas present, but she took it back to the department store to exchange it for a...
Clara Schumann – First Woman Royal and Imperial Chamber Virtuosa at the Austrian Court (1838)
In honor of the bicentennial of the birth of Clara Schumann, Byron Schenkman & Friends performed a special concert to honor her last weekend. It was a delight to hear some of her rarely-performed music, especially in such an exquisite performance. The musicians...
Nataki Garrett – First Woman of Color Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Earlier this year Nataki Garrett was the First Woman of Color appointed Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. A bit of history about the Festival will put the significance of this accomplishment in perspective. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival began presenting...
Margaret Bourke-White – Photojournalist
Margaret Bourke-White went where few women, and not too many men, had been. She was the First Woman war correspondent, the First Woman allowed in combat arenas. She was also the First Westerner to photograph Soviet industry and the First Woman to have a photo on the...
Aretha Franklin, First Woman in Fact and in our Hearts
Many have paid tribute to Aretha Franklin but few have outlined all her achievements as a First Woman: --First Woman inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame (and second in the UK) --First Woman to have 100 titles on...
Ella Higginson, First Poet Laureate of Washington State
In 1931 the state of Washington named Ella Rhoads Higginson as its first poet laureate. Not its First Woman poet laureate, its first poet laureate, period. Higginson was known throughout the United States for her depictions, both in prose and poetry, of the Pacific...
Vivaldi as Written—For Women
The week before Christmas, a unique magic filled the concert scene in Seattle—not with Santa and holiday carols, but with women musicians and Vivaldi’s music. Thanks to Early Music Seattle, two performances of Vivaldi’s Magnificat, Laetatus Sum, and Gloria, along with...
First Women from a British Fashion Magazine
Searching the airport magazine rack, on my way to Dallas, I spied a magazine with an intriguing promo on the first page. “Incredible Women” it shouted in letters only slightly smaller than the name of the magazine, Porter. I didn’t know the magazine (turns out it’s...
“Outlander” and a First Woman
The writers of Outlander know the power of First Women. In the second episode this season Claire is examining her lot in life. She has tried to fulfill her housewifely duties (with the notable exception of the bedroom). She keeps house, raises her child, entertains...
“Time” and First Women
After four years of writing about First Women on this blog, I am delighted to see Time magazine jump on the bandwagon for First Women. They have put together a wonderful multi-media project with profiles about First Women and I recommend you check it out. The...
First Women at the Movies
Patty Jenkins is the First Woman to direct a superhero movie for a major studio. In May, 2017 her film Wonder Woman opened to the biggest weekend box office for a woman director in the history of cinema. Diana Prince, Wonder Woman’s...
The Grimke Sisters in “The Invention of Wings”
One of the many beauties of Sue Monk Kidd’s fiction is her expression of the hearts of women, through their own words. This is accomplished with language that paints pictures in the reader’s mind and both tickles and challenges the reader’s soul. So, it was with...
Gwen Ifill – A First Woman in Television News
A special woman died in November of last year and her life is a model for all women. Gwen Ifill, co-anchor of News Hour on PBS, separated her professional life from her personal life, not even informing others of her illness as she was dying. It is unfortunate that...
Wonder Woman Firsts
This year the United Nations selected Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador to promote gender equity. An uproar ensued, and the United Nations withdrew the ambassadorship because Wonder Woman was too sexy. Apparently strong women cannot also be sexy women....
Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Last weekend I attended a concert by the Lake Union Civic Orchestra and found a First Woman in the program. But, first, about the concert. I was attracted to the concert because they were playing two fanfares: Aaron Copland’s stately Fanfare for the Common Man and...
Ginny Baker – Fictional First Woman
I would like to have been a fly on the wall when Rick Singer and Kevin Falls “pitched” their idea for a new television series about a woman baseball player who makes it to the major leagues. The series, aptly named Pitch, debuted last week on Fox. Ginny Baker is the...
Martha Rountree, First Woman Moderator of “Meet the Press”
Chuck Todd is currently moderator of “Meet the Press” on NBC, a one-on-one interview show sometimes followed by a roundtable. Todd follows many notable news correspondents: Roger Mudd, Marvin Kalb, Chris Wallace, Garrick Utley, Tim Russert, Tom Brokaw, David Gregory,...
First Women of San Francisco
Last week my husband and I flew to San Francisco, into that rarefied air that can only be California. Our first stop was San Francisco, or the polyglot that columnist Herb Caen used to call Baghdad by the Bay (back when Baghdad had a romantic aura about it). As we...
Viola Davis – Emmy Winner
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” [Viola Davis] Viola Davis won the Emmy this week for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for...
More First Women on Jeopardy
A couple of weeks ago, Jeopardy included another First Women category in their show. Once again I have taken the names used in their category and created a quiz. Match the descriptions below (a through e) with the names (1 to 5). Answers appear at the bottom. a....
Emma Edwards Green – Flag Designer
Emma Edwards Green was the first woman to design a state flag. She was, in fact, the only woman to design a state flag. Emma visited friends in Boise Idaho in 1890 and decided to stay. She taught art classes and was later invited to submit a design for the state flag...
Misty Copeland – Principal Dancer
When Misty Copeland was named principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre this week, her achievement was noted because she is the First African-American Woman to hold this position. Of course she was already known in the ballet world as she worked her way up to...
First Women at the Tonys
Actor and playwright Lisa Kron and composer and arranger Jeanine Tesori have both earned many awards from even more nominations. Kron’s list of awards includes three Obies and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. Tesori, the most prolific woman composer on Broadway, has won...
Cast of Women
Thank you to KUOW radio for introducing me to a film from 1939 that starred only women. Predictably titled The Women, it was based on a play by Clare Boothe Luce and adapted for the screen by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin. There were 130 speaking roles and, although the...
Megan Ellison – Movie Producer
Megan Ellison was the first woman producer to receive two Best Picture nominations in one year, but that was not enough to earn her a place on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014. Only twenty-eight years old, Megan Ellison is...
Ruby Dee – Actress, Activist
Ruby Dee died this week. There are several numbers to note in her passing: --91, her age at death --61, the number of years she was married to Ossie Davis --30+, the number of years she survived breast cancer In addition to her many other accomplishments in the...
Sports and Adventure
First Women in 2021
Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites: Kamala Harris Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as...
Effa Manley – First Woman Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
Effa Manley was the First Woman inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
Super Bowl LV’s First Women
First Women at the 2021 Super Bowl
First Women in the Iditarod
I will miss an appointment with my massage therapist, Lisa Jordan, in March because she will be in Alaska for the start of the Iditarod. Apparently, the race actually begins in Willow, Alaska but there is a lot of hullabaloo in Anchorage first, with sleds and dogs...
First Women from a British Fashion Magazine
Searching the airport magazine rack, on my way to Dallas, I spied a magazine with an intriguing promo on the first page. “Incredible Women” it shouted in letters only slightly smaller than the name of the magazine, Porter. I didn’t know the magazine (turns out it’s...
Ginny Baker – Fictional First Woman
I would like to have been a fly on the wall when Rick Singer and Kevin Falls “pitched” their idea for a new television series about a woman baseball player who makes it to the major leagues. The series, aptly named Pitch, debuted last week on Fox. Ginny Baker is the...
First Women of Color at the Olympics
Simone Manuel is the First African American Woman to win an individual gold medal in swimming. Her time in the 2016 Olympics of 52.70 seconds set both an American and Olympic record. An amazing feat for a woman who belongs to the meager 1.3% of African Americans who...
Olympic Women with Multiple Firsts
For every sport and every event in the Olympics, there is a First Woman who won a medal in a sport when women were permitted to compete. Their names would fill a ledger book. The women featured here hold more than one first (although not all in the Olympics): --Aileen...
First Women in the Olympics: Part One – A Short History
If you read the Olympic websites, you would believe that the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is thoroughly committed to the equality of women in sports. However, this commitment is relatively new. It was not until 2012, just four years ago, that every...
Pat Summitt – First Coach
“Discipline helps you finish a job, and finishing is what separates excellent work from average work.” [Pat Summitt] Pat Summitt was coach of the Tennessee Vols women’s basketball team from 1974-2012. When she died two weeks ago, her face appeared in the...
First Women in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016
Time magazine often highlights First Women in its annual list of 100 Most Influential People and this year was no exception. It is a pleasure to feature them on this blog posting, but also of interest is noting which people were selected by Time to write the profiles...
Some Football Updates
Coach Position: Earlier this month Kathryn Smith became the first female full-time coach in the NFL. After years of serving in various assistant capacities she will be a quality control assistance coach for the Buffalo Bills. She will analyze tapes and data, compile...
More First Women on Jeopardy
A couple of weeks ago, Jeopardy included another First Women category in their show. Once again I have taken the names used in their category and created a quiz. Match the descriptions below (a through e) with the names (1 to 5). Answers appear at the bottom. a....
U.S. Open Firsts
Serena Williams is favored to win the U.S. Open. If she does she will have a calendar Grand Slam: winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open in the same year. She will be the first player to do this since Steffi Graf in 1988. Serena is probably...
Jen Welter – NFL Coach
Jen Welter is the first woman coach in NFL history. As announced a few weeks ago, her position with the Arizona Cardinals is temporary, an internship, but still a remarkable achievement. Full credit goes to head coach, Bruce Arians, who justifies the hire by...
First Women on Jeopardy
Last week, on Jeopardy, there was a category called Female Firsts. I didn’t record the full text of the questions, but I thought it might be fun to quiz the readers of this blog on the women included, but in a different format. Match the descriptions below (a through...
It’s “Official”
Sarah Thomas is the First Woman to be a fulltime game official in the NFL. It was announced today that she will hold the position of line judge. Sarah has been a First Woman before. She was the First Woman to officiate an NCAA football game, First Woman to officiate a...
Annika Sorenstam – Professional Golfer
I am struck by two things about Annika Sorenstam’s career as a golfer: her persistent rise from one first for women to another; and the fact that, even as late as 2003, she experienced discrimination because of her gender. Annika was born in Sweden where she excelled...
Summer 2014’s First Women
Maryam Mirzakhani, a professor at Stanford University, was the first woman and the first Iranian to earn the Fields Medal, the highest recognition in mathematics. Her understanding of the symmetry of curved surfaces was noted in her award. Before she entered college,...
Mo’Ne Davis – Little League Star
Mo’Ne Davis was the first girl to pitch a shutout in Little League World Series history. She was also the first Little Leaguer (boy or girl) to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. She even has her own Wikipedia page. She generated excitement for the game,...
Kacy Catanzaro
In the fifth season of American Ninja Warrior, Kacy Catanzaro was the first woman to complete the grueling course. After training for two years, the 5-foot, 100-lb, 24-year old woman thrilled supporters who quick created the hashtag #MightyKacy.
Alice Coachman, Olympic Gold Medalist
Alice Coachman, the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal, died this week in her hometown of Albany, Georgia. She was 90 years old. In 1948 Alice Coachman competed in the Olympics and won the high jump at the London Games. Alice believed she...
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
Gertrude Ederle – “Queen of the Waves”
Bathing suits that gave women the freedom to swim were considered scandalous and women were expected to wear stockings for swimming competitions when Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle decided to compete. Only when women agreed to robe as soon as they stepped...
Billie Jean King – Tennis Star
Most First Women To. . .help those who follow them, but some women fight battles that improve whole classes of women. Billie Jean King was a flagbearer for all girls who love athletics. Billie Jean King’s tennis career spans the decades of the 1960’s and...
Althea Gibson – Tennis Champion
Althea Gibson wasn’t fond of school and thought nothing of skipping classes; but she was dedicated to tennis, even though her family had to wait until dark to find practice time, after all the white people had left the court,. That practice in the semi-dark was a...
Military and Crusaders
Super Bowl LV’s First Women
First Women at the 2021 Super Bowl
Nurses Paved the Way for Women in the U.S. Military
There are many First Women in the military, especially since Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense opened all positions in the military to women beginning in 2016, but there were women involved in our wars before the modern era. During the revolutionary war Sybil...
Military Progress 2019
The United States military is making progress incorporating women into its higher ranks. Slowly, but still progress. Within the last week, there have been three promotions for military women that made the news: Captain Dianna Wolfson, of...
Anna Mae Hays – First Woman U.S. General
When Anna Mae Hays was born, it would be another six months before a woman’s right to vote was enshrined in the Constitution. Her lifespan, over the next 98 years, is a parable of the roads women traveled during the century following the Nineteenth Amendment. Hays was...
Lt. General Michelle Johnson, Revisited
Four years ago, I wrote about Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson when she became the First Woman Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, making her the First Woman to lead any U.S. Service Academy. She had several other firsts: the First Woman cadet wing...
Navy Honors Grace Hopper
There has never been a building at any of the major military academies named after a woman—until now! The First Woman to have this honor is Grace Hopper whose name will grace the U.S. Naval Academy’s new cyber facility. Grace Hopper was a pioneer in computer...
First Women in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016
Time magazine often highlights First Women in its annual list of 100 Most Influential People and this year was no exception. It is a pleasure to feature them on this blog posting, but also of interest is noting which people were selected by Time to write the profiles...
Updating the Military with First Women
In August, 2015 Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver completed the Army’s Ranger School. Now Captain Griest has just been named an infantry officer, the First Woman to be admitted to this specialty in the Army. This was made possible by Secretary of...
Hawaiian First Women
Recently I traveled to Hawaii with my sister. The highlight was sailing joyfully on a catamaran in the Pacific on my birthday and hunting for First Women. My favorite was Queen Lili’uokalani but she deserves a blog of her own. While I'm writing that, here are a few...
Diana Holland – First Commandant of Cadets at West Point
The Superintendent of West Point just swore in the First Woman Commandant of Cadets. Brigadier General Diana Holland will be responsible for training the elite cadets who are usually first in line for promotions into the higher ranks of the Army. A graduate of West...
Future First Women in the Military
Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter has announced that all combat roles in our military will be open to women. This is a critical move for women as the progression up the line of command to the higher ranks often goes through the assignments that are currently denied...
Night Witches: Russia’s First Women’s Bomber Regiment
My brother James visited Seattle this week. While he and I crossed on a ferry to San Juan Island for a little getaway, he saw the brochure for the Flying Heritage Collection at Boeing’s Paine Field. One picture of a P-51 Mustang and he was smitten, so we made time to...
Griest and Haver, First Women to Complete Ranger School
Last week Captain Kristen Griest, an Apache helicopter pilot, and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver, a military police officer, both completed the Army’s Ranger School, and they made the national news. Their feat pitted them against the best of the men in the military and...
First Women on Jeopardy
Last week, on Jeopardy, there was a category called Female Firsts. I didn’t record the full text of the questions, but I thought it might be fun to quiz the readers of this blog on the women included, but in a different format. Match the descriptions below (a through...
Martha McSally – First in Combat
After the election earlier this fall, Republican Martha McSally was ahead of her competitor Democrat Ron Barber, the current representative, by less than 200 votes. A recount was conducted and, six weeks later, McSally was still ahead—by 167 votes. Her opponent...
First Women in the CIVIL WAR
Continuing in the celebration of National Women’s History Month, here is a trio of women’s firsts from the Civil War era. Among the First Women To. . .in the Civil War are a combatant, a doctor, and an orator. All three defied the gender designations of their time and...
First Women in the Revolutionary War
Instead of blogging about contemporary women this month, I want to celebrate National Women’s History Month and write about women in our past history. The theme for the National Women’s History Project’s theme for 2014 is: Celebrating Women...
A Prayer For Military Families
Every day I post a Woman of Note on this blog and once a week I post a biography of a First Woman To. . .During almost six months I have posted 163 daily Women of Note and 26 biographies. Ten of those Women of Note were women whose accomplishments were as members of...
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
Eileen Collins, Space Shuttle Pilot and Commander
Eileen Collins did not tumble into her endeavors as a first woman; she arrived there because of her own determination. Her love of flying and commitment to her own education resulted in her historic feats. Col. Collins was infected with flying at an early age....
Today’s News!!! – Michelle Johnson – Superintendent of the Air Force Academy
Congratulations to Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson on being the first woman to command the U.S. Air Force Academy! General Johnson, a graduate of the academy, was the first woman to serve as cadet wing commander (senior ranking cadet) at the academy. In addition...
Sheila Widnall – Secretary of the Air Force
Throughout history military endeavors were the purview of men, with a few exceptions. Although there were women warriors, often disguised as men, these were the exception. Women warriors were either portrayed as myths, like the Amazon women, or as delusional, like...
Business and Economics
First Women in 2021
Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites: Kamala Harris Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as...
![Eliza Lucas Pinckney [1722 – 1793] – First Woman Inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame](https://michelegenthon.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ELIZA-LUCAS-PINCKNEY-400x250.png)
Eliza Lucas Pinckney [1722 – 1793] – First Woman Inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame
Independence is all I wish, and a little will make us that.[Eliza Lucas Pinckney, 1779] Eliza Lucas was 16 years old when she took over the management of her family’s three plantations in South Carolina. She had been dead for almost 200 years when she became the First...
“Stagecoach Mary” Fields – First African-American Woman to Deliver U.S. Mail
One of my favorite Northwest First Women is Stagecoach Mary, the First African-American Woman mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Mary was a slave born in Hickam County, Tennessee, where she lived for the first thirty years of her life. Her birth is not...
First Women from a British Fashion Magazine
Searching the airport magazine rack, on my way to Dallas, I spied a magazine with an intriguing promo on the first page. “Incredible Women” it shouted in letters only slightly smaller than the name of the magazine, Porter. I didn’t know the magazine (turns out it’s...
Betsy Duke – Chair of Wells Fargo Bank
As a struggling actress in a dinner theatre, Betsy Duke needed a second job. She got a part-time waitressing job but the dry cleaner where she applied didn’t hire her, so she settled for a part-time job as a teller at a local bank. And the rest of her life began. She...
Women in Business: Good News and Bad
Within the last week, the Seattle Times included two articles about First Women in business. They highlight for me the importance of celebrating women’s achievements while placing their accomplishments in perspective. Laurie Stewart was the First Woman to lead a local...
First Women in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016
Time magazine often highlights First Women in its annual list of 100 Most Influential People and this year was no exception. It is a pleasure to feature them on this blog posting, but also of interest is noting which people were selected by Time to write the profiles...
First Women of San Francisco
Last week my husband and I flew to San Francisco, into that rarefied air that can only be California. Our first stop was San Francisco, or the polyglot that columnist Herb Caen used to call Baghdad by the Bay (back when Baghdad had a romantic aura about it). As we...
U.S. Open Firsts
Serena Williams is favored to win the U.S. Open. If she does she will have a calendar Grand Slam: winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open in the same year. She will be the first player to do this since Steffi Graf in 1988. Serena is probably...
Salaries for Women CEO’s
THE GOOD NEWS: Women CEO’s appear to earn similar salaries to their male counterparts, although it might be noted that the top earner started out life as a man THE BAD NEWS: The number of women CEO’s has stalled. They hold only 14.6% of executive posts overall and...
Women in Time 100
Time magazine recently published its annual listing of the 100 Most Influential People and a number of the American women were First Women To. . . --Janet Yellen, first woman to head the Federal Reserve System. The article about her was written by Christine...
Maya Angelou – Renaissance Woman
A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. [Maya Angelou] Maya Angelou was the first African-American woman to. . . --work as a cable car conductor in San Francisco --work as a cable car conductor in San Francisco --have...
Mary Barra – CEO of General Motors
“I guess you could say she broke through the steel ceiling, not the glass ceiling.” [Hillary Clinton] Mary Barra is the daughter of an autoworker. She is also the CEO of General Motors, the first woman to head a global automaker. In 2013, Fortune magazine...
Sharon Pratt – Mayor of Washington, D.C.
“Divisiveness has no place in our politics. . .spitefulness and hatred only erode that which is truly magnificent about our country.” [Sharon Pratt Dixon Kelly] Sharon Pratt, like many First Women, holds several firsts: --The First...
Janet Yellen – Chair of the Federal Reserve
Janet Yellen was the First Woman to serve as Chair of the Federal Reserve.
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
First Woman to Head a Central Bank?
Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Vice Chair, was selected by President Obama to lead the U.S. central bank. Her priorities are to strengthen the economic recovery and boost employment. If approved by the Senate, she will become the first woman to head a central bank in...
Carly Fiorina – CEO of a Fortune 20 Company
Carly Fiorina rose to the heights of corporate American and then was forced aside in a public circus. Her resilience is an inspiration to us all. Analyzing the first quarter-century of Carly Fiorina’s life would not necessarily lead to the conclusion that she...
Religion
Elizabeth Blackwell and The Blackwell Circle
Elizabeth Blackwell was the First Woman with a medical degree in the U.S. Her life was filled with other First Women.
First Women from a British Fashion Magazine
Searching the airport magazine rack, on my way to Dallas, I spied a magazine with an intriguing promo on the first page. “Incredible Women” it shouted in letters only slightly smaller than the name of the magazine, Porter. I didn’t know the magazine (turns out it’s...
Libby Lane – Bishop
Last month Libby Lane was appointed the first female bishop of the Church of England. It was a long time coming. Since 1861 women have been deaconesses in the Church of England but no women became full deacons until 1987. During the First World War women were...
Katharine Drexel, Saint
A descendant of the founders of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Katharine Drexel was born into a philanthropic family. At a private audience with Pope Leo XIII, Katharine asked the Pope to send missionaries to the Native Americans whose plight had come to her...
More First Woman News This Week!!!
The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton was the first woman chosen as presiding bishop for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pope Francis, are you listening?
Education and STEM
Elizabeth Blackwell and The Blackwell Circle
Elizabeth Blackwell was the First Woman with a medical degree in the U.S. Her life was filled with other First Women.
MARY McLEOD BETHUNE (1875 – 1955) – First African-American Woman with a Statue in a Washington, D.C. Public Park
Mary McLeod Bethune, during her lifetime, was called “The First Lady of Negro America” and “The First Lady of the Struggle.” In 1974 she became the First African American Woman to have a statue installed in a public park within the District of Columbia. Mary McLeod...
Katherine A. Rowe – First Woman President of William and Mary
In early January 2019 Katherine A. Rowe was inaugurated as the First Woman President of the college of William and Mary, three and one-quarter centuries after it was founded. I began to wonder what took so long, especially for a college named after a woman. Then I...
Sylvia Trent-Adams – First Nurse Surgeon General
Sylvia Trent-Adams is a nurse, and the first non-physician to serve as Surgeon General of the United States (assuming the one veterinarian who held the position is counted as a physician). The position of Surgeon General was created in 1871 under President Grant’s...
Sutematsu Yamakawa Oyama – First Japanese Woman to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Sutematsu Yamakawa Oyama was the first Japanese woman to earn a bachelor’s degree. Her remarkable feat occurred in the late 1800’s at Vassar College. Sutematsu was part of a Japanese experiment that is engagingly recounted in Daughters of the Samurai by Janice P....
Carla Hayden – First Woman Librarian of Congress
“To be the head of an institution that’s associated with knowledge and reading and scholarship when slaves were forbidden to learn how to read on punishment of losing limbs, that’s kind of something.” [Carla Hayden] In the United States 83% of librarians are women,...
Navy Honors Grace Hopper
There has never been a building at any of the major military academies named after a woman—until now! The First Woman to have this honor is Grace Hopper whose name will grace the U.S. Naval Academy’s new cyber facility. Grace Hopper was a pioneer in computer...
Maria Harper-Marinick – First Woman Chancellor of Maricopa Community College
Maria Harper-Marinick was recently appointed chancellor of Maricopa Community College, the First Woman to hold that position. She is also the first Latina higher-education chancellor in Arizona. Her background prepared her extensively for the position. She had served...
First Women in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016
Time magazine often highlights First Women in its annual list of 100 Most Influential People and this year was no exception. It is a pleasure to feature them on this blog posting, but also of interest is noting which people were selected by Time to write the profiles...
Hawaiian First Women
Recently I traveled to Hawaii with my sister. The highlight was sailing joyfully on a catamaran in the Pacific on my birthday and hunting for First Women. My favorite was Queen Lili’uokalani but she deserves a blog of her own. While I'm writing that, here are a few...
First Women on Jeopardy
Last week, on Jeopardy, there was a category called Female Firsts. I didn’t record the full text of the questions, but I thought it might be fun to quiz the readers of this blog on the women included, but in a different format. Match the descriptions below (a through...
Katharine Drexel, Saint
A descendant of the founders of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Katharine Drexel was born into a philanthropic family. At a private audience with Pope Leo XIII, Katharine asked the Pope to send missionaries to the Native Americans whose plight had come to her...
Judith Rodin – Ivy League President
Judith Rodin was on the forefront of making education accessible to women. When she was a student at the University of Pennsylvania’s College for Women in the 1960’s, she was president of Penn’s Women’s Student Government. She led the movement to merge with the Men’s...
Christa McAuliffe – Teacher, Astronaut
Christa McAuliffe’s birthday was September 2nd. It seems appropriate to include her here as the school year begins. Christa McAuliffe’s First Woman To. . .achievement was made possible by President Ronald Reagan when he decided that the first civilian in space should...
Summer 2014’s First Women
Maryam Mirzakhani, a professor at Stanford University, was the first woman and the first Iranian to earn the Fields Medal, the highest recognition in mathematics. Her understanding of the symmetry of curved surfaces was noted in her award. Before she entered college,...
Donna Shalala – Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
In every community, whether large of small, there are people who lead in their community in easy and difficult times. [Donna Shalala] Donna Shalala was the first woman to head a Big Ten school, but she may be better known for holding a cabinet position. Shalala was...
Fall 2013’s First Women To. . .
I received the lovely grace of being able to spend the fall in Southern Europe. I enjoyed the quality of life and the freedom from the usual daily responsibilities, but I missed out on being in touch with the news from the United States. When I returned to a pile of...
Grace Hopper – Computer Pioneer
“A ship in port is safe; but that is not what ships are built for. Sail out to sea and do new things.” [Grace Hopper] Grace Hopper was first in areas where men had not even trod before. She refused to believe that a computer could only perform arithmetic and was...
Drew Gilpin Faust – Harvard President
As students return to their colleges and universities, or as some venture on this road for the first time, I have chosen Drew Gilpin Faust for the “First Women To. . .” blog. Her words that “Creativity is a form of knowledge,”...
Sally Ride – Astronaut
Today there is serious discussion about the importance of STEM classes (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for our nation’s economy, and also about how to make these fields attractive to women. Sally Ride was ahead of the curve. American space...
Aviation and Space
Ann Baumgartner (1918 – 2008) – First Woman to Pilot a Jet Plane
Ann Baumgartner was the First Woman to Pilot a Jet Plane
First Women in 2021
Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites: Kamala Harris Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as...
Nancy Grace Roman (1925 – 2018) – First Woman Executive at NASA
NASA is sending another telescope like the Hubble into space, and it has been named the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. For the first time in NASA’s 61-year history, a billion dollar program has been named for a woman. “[Naming the telescope after Roman]...
Bessie Coleman – First African American to Earn an International Pilot’s License
Bessie Coleman was one of the early pioneers of flight. Called “Brave Bessie” and “Queen Bessie,” she reveled in performing daring stunts for startled crowds. She dazzled audiences in spite of two drawbacks: Bessie Coleman was a woman, and she was African American....
Lt. Col. Anne McClain – Spokane Astronaut
Something remarkable happened this week. Remarkable, because it was so unremarkable. Our local newspaper, The Seattle Times, printed an article about the latest rocket to head to the Space Station and touted the astronaut from Spokane, Washington who was on board....
A Musical with a First Woman
Last night I saw the musical “Come from Away” about the people of Gander and the passengers (7,000 people in all) whose 38 planes were grounded in Newfoundland on 9/11. The musical, written by husband and wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, was a joint production...
Eileen Collins, Space Shuttle Pilot and Commander
Eileen Collins did not tumble into her endeavors as a first woman; she arrived there because of her own determination. Her love of flying and commitment to her own education resulted in her historic feats. Col. Collins was infected with flying at an early age....
Sally Ride – Astronaut
Today there is serious discussion about the importance of STEM classes (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for our nation’s economy, and also about how to make these fields attractive to women. Sally Ride was ahead of the curve. American space...
General
Reflections on International Women’s Day
It has been 99 years since the first Women’s Day was observed in February, 1909. In 1975 the United Nations proclaimed March 8 as Women’s Day. Today women in Spain are on strike, banging pots and telling men to fix their own dinners. Women in the Ukraine are holding...
Does One Voice Matter?
(I haven’t published any political blogs before, but I found my experience this week so empowering I had to share.) Does one vote count? Is one voice heard? It’s easy to be discouraged but heed the event that occurred this very week in the state of Washington. LAST...
Irony in First Women’s Lives
The first six chapters of my book on First Women are drafted and my research keeps revealing ironies that intrigue me. I thought I’d share four ironies I uncovered in three of my First Women stories. Irony One: Nellie Tayloe Ross was the First Woman governor in the...
Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. [19th Amendment, U.S. Constitution] The nineteenth...