Womanica

Marianne North (1830-1890) was an English Victorian botanical artist. At a time when Victorian women were encouraged to stay home, Marianne traveled across the globe, painting plants in their natural habitats.   For Further Reading: Things you should know about Marianne North The Radical Victorian Lady behind an Essential Collection of Botanical Art Turning Loss and Loneliness into Wonder: How the...

Soraya Tarzi (1899-1968) advocated for education for all and for women’s empowerment during her time as Queen of Afghanistan. She was instrumental in leading the country into an era of progress and modernity after its emancipation from British rule. During her time as Queen, she fought for the removal of the forced veil and for a woman’s right to study and work.  For Further Reading: Queen Soraya...

Fanny Mendelssohn Hansel (1805-1847) was a German composer and pianist. She wrote hundreds of works, but for generations it has gone largely unnoticed and in some cases was attributed to her brother, Felix.  For Further Reading: Who was Fanny Mendelssohn, the unsung composer whose music was published under her brother’s name? Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel finally moves out of her brother’s shadow Fanny...

Cleoma Falcon (1906-1941) was a Cajun musician from French-speaking Louisiana. A groundbreaking artist – and one of the few women from her culture who were performing live at the time – she helped define the Cajun genre and popularize it beyond Cajun country.  For Further Reading: Breaux Cleoma Falcon by Music Rising at Tulane Overlooked No More: Cléoma Falcon, Queen of Cajun Music by The New York...

Frances “Fannie” Barrier Williams (1855-1944) was a progressive activist who was part of the first wave of feminism in America. She co-founded the NAACP and fought hard for the rights of Black women, advocating for respect for their intellect and the right to vote.  For Further Reading: Black Women’s Suffrage - Fannie Barrier Williams The New Woman of Color by Fannie Barrier Williams First Wave Fe...

Vera Rubin (1928-2016) was an American astronomer whose groundbreaking findings provided evidence for the existence of dark matter. Though her findings were groundbreaking, she was never awarded as such. As a woman astronomer, Vera was an early pioneer, and worked to make the field more accessible to women after her. For Further Reading: How Vera Rubin Confirmed Dark Matter Overlooked No More: Ver...

Mary Astell (1666-1731) is recognized today as a pioneering writer in English feminist history. She advocated that women have the same capacity for reason as men, and published critiques of the institution of marriage. But at the same time, she was politically conservative, and supported patriarchal ideas. For Further Reading: Astell (1666-1731) – Project Vox Mary Astell (Stanford Encyclopedia of...

Rani Durgawati (1524-1564) was the Queen of Gondwana. After her husband died and left a toddler son as heir, Durgawati ruled over Gondwana and fought to the death to try to save it from Mughal annexation.  For Further Reading: Rani Durgawati: The Forgotten Life of a Warrior Queen Rani Durgavati Durgawati (D. 1564) This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own l...

Empress Matilda (c. 1102-1167) attempted to expand the idea of who was fit to run a country in 12th century England. She was named the heir to the English throne by her father, King Henry I, but was challenged from the moment she was nominated. Nevertheless, she didn’t let this deter her and fought for her right to the crown until the end.  For Further Reading: Empress Matilda Empress Matilda: Lad...

Adrienne Fidelin (1915-2004) was a Guadaloupean dancer, actress, and intellectual at the center of avant garde activities in France during the interwar period. She was a trailblazing Black model who was “hidden in plain sight,” her many artistic contributions lost to the many racist and sexist blindspots of history. Her story is only recently being recovered. For Further Reading: Overlooked No Mor...

Voltairine de Cleyre (1866-1912) was an American anarchist, writer, poet, and lecturer. Her radical and compelling works critiqued the deeply confining world of women during her time and would go on to drive the foundational ideas behind the second-wave of feminism.  For Further Reading: Pearl of Anarchy Voltairine de Cleyre: American Radical Overlooked No More: Voltairine de Cleyre, America’s ‘Gr...

Flora Tristan (1803-1844) was a French-Peruvian socialist writer and activist. She made important contributions to early feminist theory, and argued that the progress of women's rights was directly related with the progress of the working class. She wrote several well-known works, including Peregrinations of a Pariah, Promenades in London, and The Workers' Union. For Further Reading: Flora Tristan...

Rose Morgan (c. 1912-2008) was a beauty pioneer and the founder of the Rose Meta House of Beauty, the premier Black salon of Harlem. She created a new type of salon, where clients were pampered and attended to according to their own beauty, rather than the beauty standards of the era. She was also an entrepreneur, helping found New York’s only Black-owned commercial bank. For Further Reading: Oral...

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) commanded a devoted group of followers during the Middle Ages. She was said to have received mystic visions from God from a young age and performed miracles throughout her life. She also wielded political influence through her many letters to European leaders and her alliance with Pope Gregory XI. Further Reading: Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) | Encyclopedia.com   S...

Nur Jahan (1577-1645) was the Empress of Mughal India. Although her husband Jahangir was technically emperor, Nur Jahan is widely seen as the true power behind the throne. She was the only female ruler in the history of the Mughal Empire.  For Further Reading: Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan The Mughal queen who became a feminist icon Nur Jahan, the empress who wielded power in the Mug...

María Ylagan Orosa (1893-1945) was a Filipino food technologist and war heroine. She used food preparation and preservation techniques to create and package locally-grown foods. Her work nourished the Filipino people and saved the lives of thousands during World War II.  For Further Reading: Maria Ylagan Orosa and the Chemistry of Resistance Maria Ylagan Orosa Overlooked No More: Maria Orosa, Inve...

Mary Anning (1799 - 1847) was a pioneering paleontologist. She is responsible for several important fossil finds along the southwestern coast of England that made waves in the world of natural science. Though for decades, her discoveries were instead credited to rich male collectors.    For Further reading: The forgotten fossil hunter who transformed Britain’s Jurassic Coast MARY ANNING Mary Annin...

Inanna (or Ishtar) is the Mesopotamian deity of sexuality and war. Many elements of this goddess were also incorporated into later goddesses of love, such as Aphrodite and Venus. She is also known as the Queen of Heaven and is one of the most important deities in the Mesopotamian pantheon.  For Further Reading: Inanna Inanna’s Descent to the Nether World Inana/Ištar This month, we're talking about...

Amaterasu is the sun goddess, the queen of the kami, and the center of Shinto and Japanese spiritual life. As an embodiment of the sun, she is also an embodiment of Japan itself. She holds an important role in the country’s history, as the imperial family traces their lineage back to her.  For Further Reading: Amaterasu Shinto: The Kami Way Amaterasu: Return of the Sun Hosted on Acast. See acast.c...

Hine-nui-te-pō is the goddess of night and death in the Māori religious tradition. She stands fearsome and gigantic against the horizon, shepherding souls into the underworld. She also easily defeated the famed demigod Māui when he dared to approach her while she slept peacefully.  For Further Reading: Women of Myth by Jenny Williamson Maui and Hine-Nui-Te-Po | NZETC Gods, Goddesses, and Myths of...

Isis was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. A magician and healer, she used her powerful spells to cure the sick and even bring back the dead. She was also a devoted wife and mother who went to great lengths to make sure her family kept the ancient Egyptian throne.  For Further Reading: Women of Myth by Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy Mythopedia: Isis “I Am Isis”: The Role of Spee...

Huitaca is the Muisca/Chibcha goddess of the moon. A rival to the morally upright legendary hero Bochica, she represents the hidden knowledge of the darkness. Her legacy has been reinterpreted by different societies, from a rebel, to a sinner, to a goddess of freedom. For Further Reading: Women of Myth Goddess Huitaca Why Chibchacum Carries the World This month, we're talking about Goddesses: myth...

Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fires. Mischievous, hot-tempered, and widely revered, she is said to be the creator of the Hawaiian islands.  For Further Reading: Madame Pele, Hawaii’s Goddess of Volcanoes, Awes Those Living in Lava’s Path Holo Mai Pele (The Journey of Pele) Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology’s Fiercest Females by Kate Hodges This month, we're talking about Goddesse...

Mazu is a powerful Chinese goddess known for her protection of fishermen, sailors, and other sea faring travelers. Although she comes from humble roots, she has over two hundred million dedicated followers worldwide and has become a cultural touchstone, particularly in Taiwan. For Further Reading: Mazu Mazu: Taiwanese and Chinese Sea Goddess Mazu: Goddess of the sea rooted in Chinese maritime cult...

Mami Wata is an aquatic goddess who reigns over the Atlantic Ocean. Because of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, she’s celebrated not only throughout much of Africa, but within the diaspora of the Caribbean and the Americas. She is both seductive and nurturing. Protective, yet dangerous. Just like the ocean, she contains multitudes.  For Further Reading: Mamy Wata and the monster by Véronique Tadjo A...