Famous Women in History

Though many of these women lived centuries ago, they are kept alive in popular culture; music and poetry by the Roman Catholic abbess Hildegard can be heard in contemporary recordings, and Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji, one of the greatest works of Japanese literature, continues to inspire new translations.

Many women overcame the oppression of their surroundings through determination and ingenuity; Harriet Tubman, for example, escaped slavery and risked her life helping others to freedom as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. Other women grew up in privileged surroundings; the philosopher and mathematician Hypatia and the historian Ban Zhao were born to families that permitted the education of girls in an era when females were rarely even taught to read.

Some, such as Boudicca, who led a bloody rebellion against the Romans, were warriors. Others advocated peace: Bertha, baroness von Suttner, influenced would eventually be won by many women, including Wangari Maathai and Mother Teresa. Like Mother Teresa, many of these women were driven by religious conviction. Khadijah's belief in her husband Muhammad's revelations helped lay the foundation of Islam. Joan of Arc's divine inspiration led the French in a decisive victory against the English. Her feats were celebrated by the poet Christine de Pisan, who also penned some of the earliest commentaries on women's roles in society.