Womanica

Jane Wells Webb Loudon (c.1800-1858) was an English author and early pioneer of science fiction. Her novel, The Mummy! is a classic of science fiction horror. She used her writing to reflect more deeply on politics and culture. She also created the first popular gardening manuals, making the art of gardening more accessible to young women. For Further Reading: The Corpse of the Future: Jane C. Lou...

Pauline Hopkins (1859-1930) was a pioneering writer who published articles and serialized novels across genres. She’s known as the author of the first science fiction novel by a woman of color – written decades before the term sci-fi was widely used. Today, you can see her ideas of an African Utopia in Marvel comics’ Wakanda.  For Further Reading: Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins: Black Daughter of the R...

Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) was an American actress and writer who played Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. She reprised the role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens , and The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. She was also one of the most sought after script doctors in Hollywood, working on scripts for Sister Act, The Wedding Singer, and even films in the Star Wars franchise. For Furt...

Gertrude Barrows Bennett (1883-1948) was a writer of dark fantasy whose work influenced A. Merritt and H.P. Lovecraft in her own lifetime. Writing under the pen name Francis Stevens, she introduced bizarre and dystopian tropes to the world of science fiction, which are still in use today. For Further Reading: Gertrude Barrows Bennett, Lady of Shadows Navigating the Weird Mind of Gertrude Barrows B...

Bebe Barron (1925-2008) and her husband Louis’ pioneering work in electronic music helped lay the foundation for the sound of sci-fi. Their blips, buzzes, gurgles and groans in Forbidden Planet (1956) made up the first ever entirely electronic score for a feature film.  For Further Reading:  The Barrons: Forgotten Pioneers of Electronic Music : NPR Unearthing Louis and Bebe Barron’s Hidden Tapes |...

Leigh Brackett (1915-1978) was an American science fiction writer and screenwriter known for her space opera stories. She wrote the first draft of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, but died before the movie was finished.  For Further Reading: Leigh Brackett's Planetary Romances Tangent Online Presents: An Interview with Leigh Brackett & Edmond Hamilton Leigh Brackett: A Terrific Writer Ahead...

Trina Robbins (1938-present) is an influential American cartoonist, writer, and feminist known for her contributions to the world of underground and alternative comics. In the 1980s, she became the first woman to draw Wonder Woman after DC Comics decided their superheroes needed a new look. She is also the founder of "Wimmen's Comix," a groundbreaking all-female comic anthology.  For Further Readi...

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860 - 1935) was an American writer, author, and lecturer who wrote the famous short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper.” Though her stories drew from her own experiences as a woman to imagine feminist utopian futures, they envisioned progress through uniformity, promoting eugenics and racial purity. For Further Reading: The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Writings Charlotte Perkin...

Verity Lambert (1935-2007) was a British television and film producer who helped establish the iconic BBC show Doctor Who . Throughout her long and successful career, Lambert worked on dozens of popular shows and films, cementing her legacy in the annals of British broadcasting history. For Further Reading: Mrs. Who - Verity Lambert produced Doctor Who, Rumpole of the Bailey and Minder – and revol...

C.L. Moore (1911-1987) was an American author in science fiction, mystery, and novelettes. Her work appeared in Weird Tales and several other fantasy anthologies, introducing complex female characters and tales of psychological strife into the genre. She also published many stories under joint pseudonyms with her first husband. For Further Reading: C.L. Moore Northwest Smith, By C.L. Moore Jirel o...

Wendy Froud (1954-present) is an artist revered for her sculptures of dolls and puppets. Wendy worked on many of Jim Henson’s projects throughout the 70s and 80s. Her puppets have been featured in fantasy and sci-fi films including Star Wars, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal .  For Further Reading: Wendy Froud, the woman behind the strange creatures of 1980s film  How the "Mother of Yoda" conquered...

Clare Winger Harris (1891-1968) was an early science fiction writer whose short stories were published during the 1920s in pulp magazines. She is credited as the first woman to publish stories under her own name in science fiction magazines. Further Reading: The Pioneering Clare Winger Harris Clare Winger Harris Breaking Amazing’s Cosmic Ceiling  Meet the Reclusive Woman Who Became a Pioneer of Sc...

D.C. Fontana (1939-2019) was the first female writer to work on Star Trek: The Original Series. Her commitment to character-driven storytelling helped shape the beloved franchise in its early days — especially the iconic half-human, half-Vulcan character Spock.  For Further Reading:  D.C. Fontana, First Female ‘Star Trek’ Writer, Dies at 80 - The New York Times 7 Things You Should Know About D.C....

Madeleine L’Engle (1918 - 2007) was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and young adult fiction. Her novel A Wrinkle in Time, published in 1962, won the John Newbery Medal. Many of her books center on science fiction themes like time travel.  For Further Reading: Madeleine L’Engle, Writer of Children’s Classics, Is Dead at 88 The Storyteller: Fact, fiction, and the books of Madelein...

Nichelle Nichols (c. 1932-2022) is an American actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her iconic role as Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek television series. Renowned for breaking racial barriers onscreen in the 1960s, Nichelle became a cultural symbol of diversity and inclusion. Beyond her contributions to the entertainment industry, Nichelle worked with NASA to recruit diverse astr...

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929 - 2018) was an American author who wrote works of speculative fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. Her literary career spanned nearly 60 years and resulted in more than 20 novels, over 100 short stories, poetry, literary criticism, and childrens books.  For Further Reading: The Fantastic Ursula K. Le Guin Ursula K. Le Guin, Acclaimed for Her Fantasy Fiction, Is Dead at 88...

Gertrude Bell (1868-1926) was an English writer and archaeologist who spent much of her life exploring and mapping the Middle East. She became highly influential to British imperial policy-making due to her knowledge and the contacts she built up through extensive travels. For Further Reading: Miss Bell’s lines in the sand - The Guardian  Gertrude Bell Gertrude Bell The Woman Who Made Iraq This bo...

Isabelle Kelley (1917-1997) was an American social worker. She was the principal author of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 and the first director of the Food Stamp Program — making her the first woman to run a national social program or lead any Division of a federal agency.    For Further reading: Overlooked No More: Isabelle Kelley, Who Developed a Food Stamp Program to Feed Millions Isabelle M. Kell...

Fannie Farmer (1857-1915) was an American culinary expert whose “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book” became a best-seller. Fannie helped home cooks, by providing scientific explanations of the chemical processes that occur in food during cooking, and by helping to standardize the system of measurements used in recipes.  For Further Reading: Overlooked No More: Fannie Farmer, Modern Cookery’s Pioneer...

Ethel Hays (1892-1989) was one of the most successful women cartoonists of the 1920s. Her cartoons were featured in newspapers across the country, and often featured cosmopolitan, independent flapper women navigating the modern world – with sass.  For Further Reading: Hogan’s Alley: Ethel Hays, Pioneering Female Cartoonist  The Flapper Queens: Women Cartoonists of the Jazz Age The Artist Who Made...

Robin Tyler (1942-present) was the first queer comic to come out on U.S. national television. She was a radical whose dynamic partnership with female comic Patty Harrison changed the discourse around women and queer people. She was a pioneer in the grassroots struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights and marriage equality in the U.S. and used her comedy to spark political change. For Further Reading: My Si...

Gracie Allien (c.1906-1964) was the ditzy housewife of the husband-wife comedy duo George Burns & Gracie Allen. Coming up from the vaudeville scene of the 1920s and 30s into radio, film, and television, Gracie brought charm and sincerity to the “dumb Dora” comedy role, dominating the scene for more than 30 years. For Further Reading: The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Gracie: A Love Story...

Florence Mills (1896–1927) was a groundbreaking African-American jazz singer and dancer during the Harlem Renaissance. She started out in Vaudeville, and ended up on Broadway. Along the way, she attracted white audiences and achieved international acclaim, while breaking racial barriers and challenging stereotypes.  For Further Reading: The Forgotten Fame of Florence Mills Florence Mills: Broadway...

Elaine May (1932-present) is a comedienne, actor, writer, and director who  rose to fame as one half of a highly successful improv comedy team before bringing her theater training and unique humor to Hollywood.  For Further Reading: Heaven Can Wait: The Hidden Genius of Elaine May Elaine May Elaine May: Laughing Matters This month, we’re talking about comediennes — women throughout history who hav...

Joan Rivers (1933-2014) was a comedy legend with a career spanning over five decades. She broke new ground as a stand up during the 1960s, when successful women in the art form were extremely rare. Her career experienced many starts and stops, failures and triumphs — but she was always determined  to make a living as a performer.  For Further Reading: Joan Rivers, a Comic Stiletto Quick to Skewer,...