Womanica

Julia Felix was a prominent businesswoman in Pompeii. She owned the House of Julia Felix, a collection of gardens, baths, and shops, from 62-79 AD. Historical records suggest that she was a very savvy business owner and well-respected by her community for her work. For Further Reading: The House of Julia Felix The Sacrarium of Isis in the Praedia of Julia Felix in Pompeii in Its Archaeological and...

Augusta Savage (1892-1962) was a Black American sculptor during  the Harlem Renaissance. She was commissioned to create busts of W.E.B Dubois, Marcus Garvey, and a pinnacle piece in the 1939 World's Fair. Although talented and well known, she was poor and unable to preserve her pieces, many of which are now lost to history.  For Further Reading:  The Black Woman Artist Who Crafted t...

Margaret Hardenbroeck (c. 1630-1690) was a Dutch-born trader and enslaver in the colony of New Amsterdam, later New York. Known as a “she-trader,” Margaret was one of the few women in the shipping business at the time, and along with second husband grew a successful trading empire, that traded in enslaved peoples, as well as tobacco and wheat. At the time of her death, it was believed...

Mariam-uz-Zamani (1542-1623) was born a Hindu-Rajput princess before marrying Akbar, the third Muslim emperor of the Mughal Empire, for political alliance. In her 43 years as empress, she became an influential maritime trader using her ship, the Rahimi, one of the largest ships to sail the Indian seas during the 17th century.  For Further Reading:  Mariam-Uz-Zamani    &nbs...

Peggy Hopkins Joyce (1893-1957) was an American actress, model and socialite known for her multiple marriages to millionaires.  For Further Reading:  The Iron Forger and the Gold Digger The Legend of Peggy Hopkins Joyce: She Collected Men, Chinchilla, Diamonds Peggy Hopkins Joyce Dies at 63; Showgirl of ‘20's Gold Digger: The Outrageous Life and Times of Peggy Hopkins Joyce This mo...

Shade Thomas-Fahm (b. 1933) is a pioneering Nigerian fashion designer who launched the nation's first high-end boutique selling locally-made ready-to-wear clothing in the 1960s. Her work catered traditional Nigerian textiles and styles to the lives of cosmopolitan working women.  For Further Reading:  Nigeria's first fashion designer: Shade Thomas-Fahm · V&A   Fashioning...

Julia de Burgos (1914-1953) was a celebrated Puerto Rican poet, feminist, and activist. She was known for her powerful, introspective writing on themes of identity, colonialism, and social justice. Her work highlighted the struggles of Puerto Rican women and the island's complex history. Her poetry continues to influence Latin American literature and feminist movements today. For Further Reading:...

Mary Kay Ash (1918-2001) was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. — one of the most well-known direct sales companies. At the time of her death, she had a fortune of $98 million. For Further Reading: The Hot Pink Empire of Mary Kay Ash Hostile Makeover Mary Kay Ash, Who Built a Cosmetics Empire and Adored Pink, Is Dead at 83 This month we're talking about Go-Gett...

Rose O'Neill (1874-1944) was an American cartoonist, illustrator, artist, and writer. She rose to fame for her creation of the popular comic strip characters, Kewpies, in 1909. At one point, she was the highest paid female illustrator in America. She was an influential voice in the suffrage movement, and used her art and platform to advocate for women's right to vote.  For Further Reading: Ro...

Felisa Rincón de Gautier (1897-1994), affectionately known as Doña Fela, was the first female Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico from 1946 to 1969. During her time in office she practiced a political philosophy of “benevolent maternalism,” prioritizing health and public works.  For Further Reading:  Felisa Rincón de Gautier (Doña Fela) Felisa Rincon de Gautier, 97, Mayor of San Juan Felisa Rincón de G...

Sarah Rector (1902-1967) was known as the richest Black girl in America. She was given allotted land by the United States government in Oklahoma, which happened to be rich in oil deposits. She became an oil magnate by age eleven and lived a life of (mostly) glamor.  For Further Reading:  Richest Black Girl in America: Redefining Sarah Rector and Her Family How did a young Oklahoman become known as...

Vivienne Westwood (1941- 2022) was a British fashion designer, businesswoman and activist known for creating the modern punk aesthetic. She took counter-culture fashion mainstream, making “Vivienne Westwood” a global brand. For Further Reading:  The New York Times: Vivienne Westwood, 81, Dies; Brought Provocative Punk Style to High Fashion BBC News: Vivienne Westwood: Tributes for 'Queen of Britis...

Ahaha (fl. c.1870 BC) was one of the world’s earliest known businesswomen. Part of a thriving community of merchants and merchants’ wives in the Assyrian Empire, these women left behind archives of ledgers, contracts, and personal notes detailing an entire community of go-getters, nearly 4,000 years ago.  For Further Reading:  The secret letters of history’s first-known businesswomen Trade and con...

Catherine I (1684-1727) was born a peasant before marrying the Tsar of Russia, Peter the Great. She eventually succeeded her husband as Empress of Russia. She ruled Russia from 1725 until her death in 1727. Her appointment as Empress set off an era of nearly all female rulers in Russia in the second quarter of the eighteenth century – the so-called “Petticoat Reigns.” For Further Reading:  Catheri...

Carrie Crawford Smith (1877-1954) placed hundreds of fellow Black women in jobs in and around Chicago through her employment agency. In an era when Black women faced intense discrimination and negative stereotyping in the workforce, Carrie made it her mission to ensure her clients were treated with dignity and respect.  For Further Reading:  Recognizing historic Black-owned businesses in Evanston...

Prudence Mabele (1971-2017) was a South African HIV/AIDS activist and a prominent advocate for women's rights. She became one of the first South African women to publicly declare her HIV-positive status in 1992, challenging stigma and discrimination. Throughout her life, she was dedicated to promoting access to healthcare, gender equality, and raising awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on wome...

Pearl Curran (1883-1937) was an author. She claimed to serve as the medium for “Patience Worth,” a spirit she first contacted via a ouija board. The phenomenon spawned great public interest and later backlash, as a range of psychologists, journalists, and general readers speculated about Patience and Pearl. As Pearl’s commercial success as an author dwindled, she supported herself with traveling o...

Nina Mae McKinney (1912-1967) was a Black American actress who performed in Hollywood and internationally in the 1930s. She was dubbed “The Black Garbo” and was the first African-American performer to receive a five-year contract with MGM. Yet because of racism and miscegenation codes, she was unable to gain a mainstream status. Today, she’s known as the “The First Black Movie Star.” For Further R...

Miyuki Ishikawa (1897 - c. 1987) was a Japanese midwife and serial killer. She is believed to be responsible for the death of 103 infants in the late 1940s. Her crimes highlighted the economic and social conditions of postwar Japan and the problems with its welfare system.  For Further Reading: Miyuki Ishikawa: The True-Crime Story of the Demon Midwife Kotobuki Maternity Hospital Incident The Infa...

Mary Toft (early 1700s–1763) was a poor English woman from outside of London who became the subject of considerable controversy when she tricked doctors into believing that she had given birth to rabbits.  For Further Reading:  The Curious Case of Mary Toft An Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbits Why Historians Are Reexamining the Case of the Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits What Mary Toft Felt: Women...

Mary Magdalene (fl. 1st Century AD) was a woman who, according to the New Testament, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection. Over time, her identity had become conflated with several other Marys in Christian scripture, and her veneration has reflected the shifting role of women in the church. For Further Reading: Who Was Mary Magdalene? Mary Magd...

Marion Hammer (1939 - present) is the first woman to be president of the National Rifle Association. She served as one of Florida’s most dogged and influential NRA lobbyists. She expanded the political power of the NRA and has been behind laws such as Conceal and Carry and Stand Your Ground.  For More Readings:  Leader as Hard as Nails Is Taking the Reins of the NRA The NRA Lobbyist Behind Florida...

Marie C. Bolden (1894-1981) was the winner of the first-ever national spelling bee in 1908. As a Black student competing against segregated schools, her victory was an important but largely forgotten moment in history. For Further Reading: NPR: When she won the first national spelling bee, Marie C. Bolden dealt a blow to racism Cleveland: Cleveland girl's spelling victory created racial controvers...

Linda Tripp (1949-2020) was an American civil servant who illegally recorded conversations with Monica Lewinsky about her affair with President Bill Clinton. She testified regarding the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal and her role in exposing it before largely withdrawing from the public eye. For Further Reading: Linda Tripp, Key Figure in Clinton Impeachment, Dies at 70 Linda Tripp: A Catalyst of a Clin...

Julia Pastrana (1834-1859) was a 19th century performer often referred to as the “Ape Woman.” She was born with hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia, and her physical appearance led her to become a popular attraction at circuses. The dehumanizing language used to promote her act encapsulates the racism and pseudoscience that defined the era of “freak shows.”   For Further Reading: The Story Of...