Today, women are not just participants in the race to break barriers and achieve milestones; they are in the driver’s seat to bring changes, innovations, and progress in all sectors—science, technology, politics, and the arts. We can’t ignore their contribution to shaping society, driving change, and being the first to achieve milestones on the list of women’s achievements in the history of the United States (US). Their achievements are not just personal achievements; they serve as powerful examples for future generations, inspiring young girls to aim big and pursue their goals without hesitation. In this blog, you will learn about the 15 first American woman who has achieved remarkable milestones in different fields, highlighting their contributions and the challenges they encountered.
15 first American women who have achieved remarkable milestones:
1. First woman to graduate from an American medical school: Elizabeth Blackwell (1849)
Contribution: Elizabeth Blackwell is the first American woman to get a medical degree in the US. After working and contributing to society, she opened the first medical school for women to help improve the healthcare system for women and children.
Challenges: Elizabeth had to face strong opposition from male doctors and a bad social belief that women could never become doctors. She had to overcome many such challenges during her education and career.
Know more about Elizabeth Blackwell here
2. First woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry: Marie Curie (1903)
Contribution: Curie is one of the first women to research and work on radioactivity, which led her to discover new elements and get Nobel prizes.
Challenges: Being a woman, she had to face lots of discrimination from society as well as health issues working with radioactive materials.
Know more about Marie Curie here
3. First woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School: Mary H. McLeod (1867)
Contribution: She became the first American woman who broke the belief that women can’t graduate from Harvard and contribute to healthcare. Today, she is a prime example of inspiring young girls to participate and contribute to healthcare.
Challenges: In the male-dominated field, she had to face skepticism about her abilities as a woman.
Know more about Mary H. McLeod here
4. First woman to receive a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Gerty Cori (1947)
Contribution: She became the first woman to research and gain a Nobel Prize for how the body processes carbohydrates.
Challenges: She had to face problems with funding and recognition while researching. In the male-dominated society, no one was ready to support her.
Know more about Gerty Cori here
5. First woman to climb Mount Everest: Junko Tabei (1975)
Contribution: Tabei is the first American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and inspire other women to take part in mountaineering.
Challenges: She faced the dangers of falling and slipping from high mountains. More than that, a societal belief that “women can’t climb mountains” was irritating.
6. First woman to earn a computer science degree: Jane Margolis (1985)
Contribution: She was the first woman to earn a computer science degree, breaking the myth that women can’t work in tech. Later, she spent her life training more women to enter the tech field.
Challenges: She faced gender inequalities throughout her education and career, which made it hard for her to work to her full potential and succeed.
7. First woman to create a programming language: Grace Hopper (1959)
Contribution: Hopper developed one of the first programming languages, COBOL, and made many more contributions to computer science and technology.
Challenges: She had to face gender inequalities, which created a negative environment for her to work and develop.
8. First woman to serve as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company: Katharine Graham (1972)
Contribution: She is the first American woman to lead the Washington Post and handled it perfectly as CEO during tough times until 1991.
Challenges: She faced discrimination and had to fight to be taken seriously in a male-dominated society.
9. First woman to launch a rocket into space: Sally Ride (1983)
Contribution: She became the first woman who contributed to launching the rocket into space and became the inspiration for young girls to pursue their careers in science and engineering.
Challenges: Being the only woman in the group, she had to face more workload and pressure than others.
10. The first woman to develop a computer algorithm: Ada Lovelace (1843)
Contribution: She is the first American woman to write the first algorithms for machines in the 1800s. This laid the foundation that women can also come forward and work for techs.
Challenges: Lovelace faced challenges like limited women’s education and pressure to work in a negative environment.
11. First woman to vote in the U.S.: Susan B. Anthony (1872)
Contribution: Anthony became the first woman to vote and promoted the thought that women could also vote and choose their government.
Challenges: She faced challenges to trouble against the societal thought that women don’t have the right to vote.
12. First woman to run for President of the United States: Victoria Woodhull (1872)
Contribution: She opened the opportunity for future female politicians to take part in political offices and become leaders of society.
Challenges: Victoria had to face issues during campaigns as males were not contributing to fighting and working with her.
13. First woman to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar: Lina Wertmüller (1976)
Contribution: Lina’s nomination for “Seven Beauties” set a mark for women directors in Hollywood and opened opportunities for women to see their future as directors in movies.
Challenges: She faced skepticism about her directorial skills and had to navigate through a male-centric environment.
14. First woman to receive a Golden Globe for Best Actress: Judy Holliday (1951)
Contribution: Judy became the first American woman to receive the Golden Globe for Best Actress, which opened the opportunity for females who wished to work in the film industry.
Challenges: She had to struggle against typecasting and societal expectations about women’s roles in Hollywood.
15. First woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical: Mary Martin (1950)
Contribution: Martin’s achievements in music opened the opportunity for females and showed the significance of female leads in the theatre.
Challenges: She had to work in a competitive environment and faced the pressure of being the only female music artist in the industry.
Know more about Mary Martin here
Conclusion:
Let’s remember these women’s achievements in history and thank them, whose contributions and challenges have shaped and opened opportunities for young girls to pursue their dreams. From overcoming challenges to achieving historic milestones, their incredible work in the sectors of tech, politics, science, and the arts will always inspire future generations for years. Together, we can create the world they want—free from gender inequality.