The Phone Call That Put a Woman on the Supreme Court
On July 7, 1981, President Reagan announced Sandra Day O'Connor as his Supreme Court nominee — the first woman ever chosen for the Court.
Tagged: women
Iron Lady of Monrovia: Africa Elects Its First Woman President
On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was sworn in as president of Liberia, becoming the first woman ever elected to lead an African nation.
The Senator from Maine
On September 13, 1948, Maine voters elected Margaret Chase Smith to the U.S. Senate, making her the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress.
Around the World in 72 Days: Nellie Bly Sets Sail
On November 14, 1889, reporter Nellie Bly boarded a steamer in New York determined to circle the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.
The Widow Who Wouldn't Campaign — and Became Governor
On January 5, 1925, grieving widow Nellie Tayloe Ross was inaugurated as governor of Wyoming — the first woman ever elected governor of a U.S. state — without having campaigned a single day.
The Nun Who Left the Convent to Serve the Slums
On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa's new order, the Missionaries of Charity, was officially established in Calcutta — and grew from thirteen sisters into one of the world's largest charities.
Faster Than Sound: Jacqueline Cochran Breaks the Barrier
On May 18, 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier, flying a borrowed F-86 Sabre jet over Rogers Dry Lake, California.
The Senate's First Elected Woman
On January 12, 1932, Arkansas voters elected Hattie Caraway to the U.S. Senate with 92 percent of the vote — the first woman ever elected to that chamber.
The First Woman on Top of the World: Junko Tabei's Everest
On May 16, 1975, Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to stand atop Mount Everest, twelve days after an avalanche nearly ended her expedition.
The Woman Who Patented First: Mary Dixon Kies, 1809
On May 5, 1809, Mary Dixon Kies of Connecticut received a U.S. patent for weaving straw with silk — the first patent ever issued to a woman in her own name.
The Sky Girls: The First Flight Attendants
On May 15, 1930, nurse and pilot Ellen Church flew the first stewardess trip, inventing the flight-attendant profession on a 13-stop mail plane.
The Virginian Who Broke Into Britain's Most Exclusive Club
On December 1, 1919, Nancy Astor took her seat in the House of Commons, becoming the first woman ever to sit in the British Parliament.
The Iron Lady Takes Downing Street: Thatcher Wins, 1979
On May 3, 1979, Margaret Thatcher won Britain's general election, becoming the country's first female prime minister.
Amelia Earhart's Lone Flight Across the Pacific
On January 11, 1935, Amelia Earhart became the first person to fly solo from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Oakland, California — a daring 2,408-mile journey across the Pacific.