Onondaga Central
Student Council Treasurer, Natalie Price, created a display in the auditorium hallway of the high school for Women’s History Month in March. Both sides of the tan cinder block walls were adorned with colorful fliers showcasing the “Women Who Changed the World” and the “Women Who Built America.” Women’s History Month has come and gone, but that does not make the impact of these women any less meaningful. Worldwide, there are thousands of women who have made their mark on the world and changed it for the better. Meanwhile, right here in the United States of America, there are hundreds of women who have touched our lives in so many ways and continue to do so daily, whether you realize it or not. Sadly, there are many whose great works go unnoticed. Some of these women- famous, hidden gems, or otherwise, are highlighted below:
The Women Who Built America: Mary Edwards Walker, Colonel Anna Mae Hays, and Loretta Walsh: the first women to defend our great nation. Walker earned her medical degree at Syracuse University and thereafter became a surgeon in the Union Army, even though women were considered unfit to hold such a title at the time. Walker became the first U.S female surgeon in the military. After crossing enemy lines to heal wounded soldiers numerous times, she was captured as a spy and became a prisoner of war. After her release, she was awarded the Medal of Honor, the only military award during the Civil War. She was one of only 8 civilians to be awarded this, as well as the first and only women. Loretta Walsh enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1917 as the USA was on the brink of joining World War I. Walsh became the first woman to serve in the military, performing duties other than medical responsibilities. Colonel Anna Mae Hays, born in Buffalo, NY, served as the 13th chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps. Hays was the first woman in the United States Armed Forces to be promoted to a General Officer rank, paving the way for many strong women to come. Laura Ingalls Wilder was an American pioneer, forging the way in writing and for progress in the United States, being awarded the John Newbery Medal and the Children’s Literature Legacy Award. Her works of the Little House on the Prairie series are tales of an unforgettable, inspiring journey and adventure for all past and future generations to come. Madam CJ Walker and Carly Fiorina may have been from different eras, but both of these women demonstrated that business is not only for men. Walker was the first female self-made millionaire, creating her own company of hair care products, instilling confidence in African American women. Fiorina was the first woman to be the CEO of a Fortune Top 20 Company, running Hewlett-Packard for six years. Not many people become the CEO of a Fortune Top 20 company and this time, one of them was a woman. Victoria Claflin Woodhull, Susana Martinez, and Tulsi Gabbard may each be from different decades and have different views. However, these women are political figures that have failed to be noticed. Woodhull, after overcoming a harsh childhood, rose to the occasion, becoming the first woman to run for president of the United State, doing so before women even had the right to vote. Martinez, served as New Mexico’s governor from 2011 to 2019, earning the title of the first Hispanic female governor. Gabbard, as many may have heard of as she put her name into the ring for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, is less known for being the first female combat veteran elected to Congress, along with being the first American Somana voting member of congress. The first female doctor in the United States, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, overcame the obstacle of sexism and earned her doctorate degree at Upstate Medical University. As a physician, she emphasized hygiene, something she believed many male doctors overlooked. With the help of her friends, Blackwell opened her own clinic to treat poor women. Not only was their mission to give women access to good medical attention, but also to provide positions for female physicians. Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman flew farther and higher than all the others, soaring into new heights, clearing the tarmac for thousands of future aviators to come. Along with setting other records, Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She played an instrumental part in the formation of the organization The Ninety-Nines, a female pilot organization. Coleman was the first African American woman and Native American to hold a pilot’s license. She also was the first African American to earn an international pilot’s license. Antonia Novello was the first woman and Hispanic Surgeon general of the United States, appointed under the leadership of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Dr. Novello was born in Puerto Rico, but through hard work and determination, made her way to Capitol Hill, becoming the first woman to hold such a poised position. Phyllis Schlafly most famously known for helping President Ronald Reagan be elected President, forming the advocacy group Eagle Forum, wrote numerous best-selling books, and successfully advocating against the Equal Rights Amendment and Communism. Schlafly believed, as did her followers, that the vague language of the Equal Rights Amendment would revoke rights, protections, and privileges women enjoy, including protections for elderly women, the elimination of government programs that benefit mothers such as WIC, and force women to be drafted in the event of a war, and protections for pregnant women. She is credited with launching the modern conservative movement. Elizabeth Dole and Condolezza Rice represent paramount positions held by women for the first time. Rice was the first African-American female Secretary of State as well as the first woman to be National Security Advisor, two critical positions for the security of our nation. Dole was the first woman to hold two different cabinet positions in the administrations of two presidents. Under President Reagan, Dole was first female U.S. Transportation Secretary and under George H.W. Bush she was U.S. Labor Secretary. Though her tenure in Presidential Cabinets, she focused heavily on improving public safety and workplace safety, health and reducing drunk driving. Dole worked for six different presidents, achieving many “firsts.” She was the first female executive of the American Red Cross since its founder, Clara Barton. Also, she was the first serious female contender for the Republican presidential nomination and the first female senator of North Carolina. Maya Lin, an Asian American designed the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C., gaining national attention to the work of art that would be viewed by millions. Lin stood behind her design even as she was attacked for her race. Sandra Day O’Conner is strikingly important to where women stand today, yet all the focus went to Ruth Bader Ginsberg who followed in her footsteps over a decade later. Nominated by President Regan, O’Conner was the first woman ever to be appointed to the Supreme Court. There, she is most famous for advocating the protection of human rights, civil rights, and voting rights. O’Conner is recognized for her strong leadership to preserve judicial independence and for her temperate, yet diligently-researched opinions. Sandra Day O’Conner was a deciding voice in numerous high-stake court cases. Susan B Anthony, a well-known women’s suffragette and abolitionist, worked alongside renowned men and women such as Fredrick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Equality was instilled within her at birth, as she was born into a Quaker family. Although it was seen as improper for women to give public presentations, that did not stop Anthony from giving passionate speeches about abolition. It was not until 1851 that Anthony met Stanton, and together, for the next 50 years, they would stand shoulder to shoulder to gain rights for women. Anthony risked imprisonment for expressing her views publicly, but she pushed forward, advocating for the rights we now, today, take for granted. Oprah Winfrey and Laura Ingraham have forged new paths in the entertainment industry, as Oprah, a self-made millionaire, is one of TV’s most influential and successful. Laura can be accredited for being the highest-ranking female radio host. Oprah has a net worth of $2.7 billion and is the founder of OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. Laura formerly hosted a nationally syndicated radio show for 3 hours before gaining a TV show. Mae Jemison, Ella Ochoa, and Sally Ride all looked down on Earth and saw it revolve around the sun. All three of these women were the “firsts” for outer space. Jemison was the first African American woman to travel into space, working as a specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Ella Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman flown into space, serving nine days on the Space Shuttle Discovery. But the woman who really launched American women into space for the first time was Sally Ride, who worked the robotic arm of her space shuttle to put satellites into space. Katherine Johnson may not have looked down on Earth, nor was she launched into space in a shuttle, but her mathematical intelligence helped send the first manned spacecraft to the moon, as well as many other manned shuttles. During a time when African American women’s mental strength was challenged by many, Johnson, along with Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson showed the world their power by allowing the USA to win the Space Race. Wilma Rudolph is a name many may never hear, but Rudolph made tremendous strides for awareness of women’s sports. Literally. Wilma was a track star, becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals in Track and Field at the Olympics, earning her the title of the fastest woman in the world. Her speed on the track sped up the future phenomenon of women in sports, proving that not only men can be great athletes, but women too. The fight to preserve women’s sports is still ongoing. Women Who Changed the World: As women were raped, murdered, and mistreated in every way by ISIS terrorists, the Women of the Syrian Revolution did not cower and hide. Instead, they fought back. When ISIS was defeated in 2017, these women revealed themselves, showing their faces and identities, removing and then burning the traditional Islamic clothes ISIS had forced them to wear, not letting any man stand in their way. In that very same year, these women constructed homes in Jinwar, a village for children and women in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Jinwar is based on the principle of self-sustainability, aiming to give women a safe place to live, free from oppression and violence. In Kurdish, “Jinwar” means “women’s land” or “women’s place” These women are inspirations to all, defeating oppression, suppressing the shrouding of their identity, and overcoming assault so their daughters, granddaughters, and friends could all live to fight another day. Junko Tabei may seem like a common Japanese woman, an author, a teacher, and a mother. But beyond her exterior appearance, Tabei was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, becoming a famous Japanese mountaineer instantaneously. Not only did she hike Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, Tabei was the first woman to hike the Seven Summits, reaching the zenith of the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Instead of breaking barriers for women, she climbed them, and in every instance- she reached the top. Marie Curi and Rosland Franklin made groundbreaking revelations in the scientific field during a time when women’s intellect was highly underestimated. Curie was the first woman to win Nobel Prizes. In 1903, she won the award for physics, and in 1911, she won it in chemistry. The first Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics were awarded in 1901 and since then, only ten have been to women, one of those being Curi, known for her trailblazing research in radioactivity. Franklin is to thank for our understanding of the double helix of our DNA and the understanding of other molecular structures such as RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite. Margret Thatcher, also known as “The Iron Lady,” lives up to her nickname as the first female British Prime minister. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the "Iron Lady," a nickname that became associated with her unwavering politics and leadership style, standing her ground no matter what or who stood in her path. Thatcher won three landslide elections, revived the British economy, lowered inflation rates, even survived an assignation attempt, proving that no one can stop the Iron Lady. Florence Nightingale was not just a social reformer, but the founder of modern nursing. She came to distinction while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organized the care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople. Jane Goodall is a primatologist most known for her long-term study of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania
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