It was 95 years ago when the 19th Amendment was written and women achieved the right to vote in America. Today, Women’s Equality Day, is not only a celebration for women’s voting rights, but also for all the efforts made to have gender equality in America overall. There is, of course, still much progress that needs to be made in the fight for gender equality, but good things never come easily. In honor of Women’s Equality Day, here are five of many women who, within the last 95 years, brought society closer to gender equality. Some of them fought for equality, others were just focused on being the best they could be in their fields. But all these women were passionate for their work and enabled the recognition of women as a norm.
Patsy Mink
Patsy Mink was the first non-white woman elected to Congress and most known for co-authoring the Title IX Amendment of Higher Education Act in 1972. Title IX, as it’s commonly called, guards students from gender discrimination in federally-funded educational activities. The act reflects the struggles that Mink faced growing up thus she made it her duty to fight for equality. She’s pictured above!
Photo from Adweek
Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters was the first woman “co-host” of a news broadcast and the first woman co-anchor of the evening news show on ABC in the 1960s. She faced a lot of sexism from her co-hosts, production crew, and guests, but that didn’t stop her from being a good reporter. Although she’s in retirement, Walters still plans to return to investigative journalism.
Photo via Newscom
Dolores Huerta
Dolores Huerta was the co-founder of the United Farm Workers with Cesear Chavez and has continued to be a prominent advocate for labor and civil rights. She is known to be determined and was part of many non-violent protests to secure rights. Huerta is also a supporter for women politicians and advocates against sexism in the labor workforce.
Photo from Sandusky Register
Mary Sherman Morgan
Mary Sherman Morgan is only recently becoming known, thanks to her son’s efforts. Morgan was actually the first woman rocket scientist, the only woman among 900 American analysts in the mid-20th century and she didn’t have a college degree either. She, most notably, contributed in the creation of the rocket fuel that helped get America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, up into space.
Photo from Saturday In The Park
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin, or the “Queen of Soul,” was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Reportedly self-taught and most definitely a natural songstress, Franklin is known for numerous hits throughout the 1900s and has won 18 Grammy awards. In particular, her song ‘Respect’ was a hit with many fans and civil rights movements of the time.