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Linda G. Alvarado (1952-)
A Hispanic-American business-woman who started her own construction firm
in 1976, Alvarado has broken many barriers in that historically male-dominatd world. As co-owner of The Colorado Rockies
Baseball Club, Alvarado is also the first Hispanic-American , male or female, to own a majojr league baseball franchise.
Donna De Varona (1947-)
In 1960, at the age of 13, de Varona became the youngest member of
a U.S. Olympic swim team. Just four years later, she won gold medals in the 400 IM and 400 Freestyle Relay at the Tokyo
Olympics. She went on to set 18 world records in her career, and was the first President of the Women's Sports Foundation in
1974. De Varona was the first full-time female sports broadcaster (for ABC) and has served two Presidential Commissions and five
terms on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Gertrude Ederle (1906-)
In 1926, Ederle became the first
woman to swim the English Channel, setting a new time record that would stand for the next 35 years. Ederle's career included 29
U.S. and World swimming records, erasing many people's doubts about the physical abilities of female athletes.
Martha Matilda Harper (1857-1950)
After 25 years of low-wage
service, Martha Matilda Harper started a beauty products system called the Harper Method, eventually realizing over 500
franchises world-wide in the 1920s. Harper is credited with creating the modern retail franchising method. She was also known as
a social justice advocate ahead of her time, offering evening hours for working women, profit-sharing and personal time off. She
refused to use permanents or hair dyes in her salons because of the associated chemicals.
Atricia Roberts Harris (1924-1985)
In 1965, President Lyndon B.
Johnson appointed Harris ambassador to Luxembourg, making her the first African-American women to hold the position of
ambassador. She then served as the first African-American woman to head a law school, when she was appointed dean of Howard
University School of Law in 1969. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter chose Harris to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
and eventually Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, thus making her the first African-American woman to be appointed a
Cabinet Secretary.
Stephanie Kwolek (1923-)
Interested in science and medicine from
a young age, Kwolek graduated from Carnegie Institute of Technology and then took a job at DuPont Chemicals to save for graduate
studies. However, her love of working with polymers kept her at DuPont, where she discovered the fiber that led to the
development of Kevlar, a bulletproof material five times stronger than steel. Kwolek is the recipient or co-recipient of 17 U.S.
Patents.
Dorothea Lange (1895-1965)
After overcoming a childhood bout
of polio, Lange went on to become a pioneer in documentary photography, most remembered for her photographs of Americans during
the depression and the Japanese-American internment during World War II. Putting a human face on political issues of the day,
such as poverty and social injustice, Lange's work paved the way for later photojournalists.
Mildred Robbins Leet (1922-)
As Co-founder and Chairman of the
Trickle Up Program, Inc., philanthropist Leet assists people worldwide in rising out of poverty. Trickle Up provides seed
capital to impoverished individuals, allowing them the opportunity to work their way to self-sufficiency. Leet also helped found
United Cerebral Palsy and was a co-founder and Vice President of the U.S. Committee for the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM).
Anne Sullivan Macy (1866-1936)
Best known as Helen Keller’s
teacher, Anne Sullivan became one of the most renowned educators in the country. Undaunted by her own vision impairment, Anne
graduated from the Perkins Institute for the Blind and then went on to teach the deaf, blind and mute Keller how to communicate
through a combination of teaching techniques based on touch. Only with Sullivan’s unending help and support was Helen Keller
able to obtain a college degree. 1960s Broadway play, The Miracle Worker, showed the world the true value of Sullivan’s work for
Keller and on behalf of visually-impaired people everywhere.
Patsy Takemoto Mink (1927-2002)
As the first Asian-American
Congresswoman in the history of the United States, attorney Patsy Takemoto Mink opened doors for women and minorities. Her
persistence in securing the passage of Title IX in 1972 assured equal treatment for women in America’s classrooms and on its
playing fields. Her Japanese-American heritage gave her first-hand knowledge of the hardships faced by immigrants. She worked
tirelessly to open opportunities for them.
Sacagawea (c. 1790 - ?)
A Shoshone woman who served as a
guide to Lewis and Clark during their exploration of the American West, Sacagawea’s knowledge and heritage were valuable tools
in dealing with obstacles encountered as the expedition moved westward. The only woman in the party, she served not only as an
interpreter, and food and medicine expert, but also as an ambassador when dealing with other Native Americans during the trek.
Sheila Widnall (1938-)
Appointed Secretary of the Air
Force in 1993 by President Clinton, Widnall became the first woman to hold this position. Under her leadership, the Air Force
transformed its capabilities to operate in and utilize space and renewed its commitment to its core values. A world-renowned
engineer, she holds three patents and is widely known for her work on turbulence and vortex flows. A member of MIT’s faculty
since 1964, she was influential in increasing the percentage of women undergraduate students from 2% to 45%, resulting in three
engineering departments at MIT in which women are a majority of the students. Widnall was the first woman to serve as Chairman
of the MIT Faculty. She is currently Vice President of the National Academy of Engineering.
Inductees of the National Women’s Hall
of Fame are chosen through a rigorous national selection process. Judges on the National Honors Committee include leaders in
education, business, arts, sciences and prominent national organizations. Selection criteria for induction include the enduring
value of a nominee’s contribution to society and her significant contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education,
government, humanities, philanthropy, or science.
I got the ideas and information for this page from my local newspaper and
The National Woman's Hall Of Fame website.
It is not my intention to steal graphics, poetry, or music belonging to
others. I have given credit where credit is due to the best of my knowledge. If something on this site is yours, please send me an email so
I can give you the credit you deserve.
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