Inspiring Women Who Paved The Way Of a Better World

Women's History Month comes and goes every March, but our support for women continues 365 days a year. While the yearly celebration allows us to highlight the work and accomplishments of incredible women (both well-known and those who inspire us in our own lives), it's equally vital to remember to appreciate female role models every day.

Anna May Wong (1905-1961)

Despite the bigotry that hindered her career, Wong is still regarded as Hollywood's first Asian American film star. Her skill won her jobs in over 50 domestic and international films, and she was the first Asian American to feature in a television show, The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong on The DuMont Television Network. She was recognized as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame a year before her death in 1961.

Kalpana Chawla (1961-2003)

Kalpana Chawla became the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space in 1996 after NASA selected her as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. In a little over two weeks, the shuttle orbited the Earth 252 times. Her second and last journey to orbit was in 2003 when she and six other astronauts conducted more than 80 experiments in 16 days. When the ship reentered the Earth's atmosphere, it destroyed, killing her and the rest of the crew. Northrop Grumman named a spacecraft after Chawla in her honor in 2020.

Nellie Bly (1864-1922)

Born Elizabeth Cochran Seaman, she went undercover as an investigative journalist in the 1880s under the pen name "Nellie Bly." She is most known for entering an asylum on New York's Blackwell's Island to reveal the inhumane treatment of patients. Her reportage resulted in the local government of New York City spending more money to improve conditions for the mentally ill. Her life and legacy are the focus of the film 10 Days in a Madhouse.

Hattie McDaniel (1895-1952)

Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American actress to win an Oscar for her role as "Mammy" in Gone with the Wind in 1940. When asked about following in McDaniel's footsteps with her recent Best Supporting Actress victory, Regina King stated she felt "fortunate."

Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994)

Wilma Rudolph had polio and scarlet fever as a child. Despite being warned she would never be able to walk again, she went on to become one of the world's fastest women. At the 1960 Summer Olympics, she won three gold medals, becoming the first American woman to win three medals in track and field at the same Olympic games.