29 Best Fun Facts About Women'S History

Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields: Physics and Chemistry.

Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer. She wrote an algorithm for Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine.

Hedy Lamarr, a famous actress, co-invented a frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology that laid the groundwork for modern wireless communication, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Rosalind Franklin played a crucial role in discovering the DNA double helix structure. Her X-ray diffraction images were key to understanding DNA's form.

Katherine Johnson, a mathematician at NASA, calculated trajectories for space missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the United States Congress in 1916, even before women had the right to vote nationwide.

Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979, serving for over a decade.

Indira Gandhi was the first and, to date, the only female Prime Minister of India, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa's first elected female head of state when she was elected President of Liberia in 2005.

Kamala Harris made history as the first female Vice President of the United States in 2021, also being the first Black and South Asian Vice President.

Mary Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" at the age of 18, creating one of the most enduring works of science fiction.

Jane Austen published her novels anonymously during her lifetime. Her works, including "Pride and Prejudice," are now considered classics.

Toni Morrison was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.

Harper Lee won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," which addresses serious issues like racial injustice and moral growth.

J.K. Rowling became the world's first billionaire author with her "Harry Potter" series, which has sold over 500 million copies worldwide.

Wilma Rudolph overcame polio to become the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics in 1960.

Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in 1973, a significant moment for gender equality in sports.

Serena Williams holds the most Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles combined among active players.

Nadia Com?neci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in an Olympic event, achieving this feat at the 1976 Montreal Games.

Mia Hamm helped popularize women's soccer in the United States and won two FIFA World Cups and two Olympic gold medals.

Frida Kahlo is known for her deeply personal and symbolic self-portraits, which explore themes of identity, postcolonialism, gender, and class.

Georgia O'Keeffe is often called the "Mother of American Modernism" for her innovative and influential paintings of flowers, skyscrapers, and southwestern landscapes.

Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the most accomplished painters of the Baroque period, known for her powerful depictions of women from myth and the Bible.

Yayoi Kusama is a contemporary artist known for her immersive installations and polka dot-covered works, which explore themes of infinity and self-obliteration.

Cindy Sherman is a photographer and filmmaker whose work critiques social norms and stereotypes, particularly those related to women.

Susan B. Anthony was a key figure in the women's suffrage movement in the United States, helping to secure the right to vote for women.

Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban and became a global advocate for girls' education, winning the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17.

Rosa Parks ignited the Civil Rights Movement in the United States by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in 1955.

Gloria Steinem is a leading feminist and social-political activist who co-founded Ms. Magazine and has been a prominent voice in the women's rights movement for decades.