History has not always been kind to women, often overlooking their significant contributions. It’s important to recognize and remember the efforts of those women whose impacts have endured through time. In this article, you’ll discover five books that celebrate both famous and forgotten—but always extraordinary—women who changed history.
Original Sisters
By Anita Kunz
From the internationally acclaimed artist Anita Kunz comes “Original Sisters,” a stunning collection of portraits showcasing groundbreaking women such as Joan of Arc, Josephine Baker, Greta Thunberg, and Misty Copeland. Born out of the COVID-19 quarantine, Kunz delved into historic and artistic research, uncovering the stories of remarkable women, many forgotten by history. With a foreword by Roxane Gay, this book introduces readers to artists, activists, rulers, and rebels whose achievements span diverse eras and fields. It highlights both well-known and obscure figures, revealing a hidden history that demands recognition.
The Great Stewardess Rebellion
By Nell McShane Wulfhart
“The Great Stewardess Rebellion” by Nell McShane Wulfhart tells the empowering true story of spirited stewardesses in the 1960s who stood up against huge corporations, creating significant change for working women. During the Golden Age of Travel, many women sought the glamorous life of a stewardess, only to find strict rules and unfair conditions, including mandatory girdles, weight limits, and forced resignation by age 32. This rousing narrative details their fight for workplace equality, capturing the essence of female empowerment, the transformative 1960s and 1970s, and the labor movement. Recognized as a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post and longlisted for PEN America’s John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction.
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
By Kate Moore
“The Radium Girls” by Kate Moore is a gripping and inspiring true story of courageous women who fought for justice against the deadly effects of radium exposure. During the First World War, radium was celebrated as a wonder element, used in products from body lotion to tonic water. Hundreds of women, known as the “shining girls,” worked in radium-dial factories, unaware of the poison they were handling. As they fell ill, their employers ignored their suffering, leading to a monumental battle for workers’ rights. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Moore captures their resilience and exposes the corporate negligence that sparked a revolution in workplace safety. This bestselling book is a powerful tribute to these forgotten heroines and their enduring legacy.
The Woman They Could Not Silence
By Kate Moore
“The Woman They Could Not Silence” by Kate Moore tells the powerful true story of Elizabeth Packard, a forgotten heroine of the late 1800s who fought for women’s rights. Best known for her work “The Radium Girls,” Moore once again delivers a meticulously researched and gripping narrative. Trapped in a mental asylum and silenced by society, Elizabeth defied all odds with relentless determination, advocating for her freedom and the rights of countless women confined unjustly. Her courageous fight sparked lasting change and exposed enduring injustices. Moore’s vivid prose and rich historical detail bring Elizabeth Packard’s inspirational journey to life, highlighting her role in challenging the status quo and paving the way for future generations.
Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine
by Olivia Campbell
“Women in White Coats” tells the remarkable and inspiring true story of three Victorian women—Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, and Sophia Jex-Blake—who revolutionized the medical field by becoming the first female doctors. In the early 1800s, women often avoided medical care due to demeaning and painful examinations by male doctors and the stigma associated with illness. Motivated by personal loss and frustration over inadequate medical care, these pioneers fought against societal and professional barriers to earn their medical degrees. They built women-run hospitals and teaching colleges, providing medical care for women by women for the first time. Based on extensive research and archival documents, this gripping narrative celebrates their courage and the lasting impact they had on women’s health care.
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
by Margot Lee Shetterly
“Hidden Figures” is the phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations were crucial to America’s greatest achievements in space. These exceptionally talented African American women, initially relegated to teaching in the segregated South, answered the call during WWII’s labor shortages, joining the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. Despite working under Jim Crow laws, they played pivotal roles in America’s victories in the Cold War and the Space Race. This #1 New York Times bestseller chronicles the careers of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, highlighting their intellectual contributions and their fight against racial and gender barriers. Their story, the basis for an Academy Award-nominated film, is a powerful narrative of resilience, discrimination, and triumph in modern America.
Civil Rights Queen
By Tomiko Brown-Nagin
“Civil Rights Queen” by Tomiko Brown-Nagin is the first major biography of Constance Baker Motley, an influential judge and activist lawyer. Born during the Great Depression, Motley defied expectations to become the first Black woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court, the first Black woman elected to the New York State Senate, and the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary. She played a crucial role in landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education and defended Martin Luther King Jr. in Birmingham. This book offers a detailed and inspiring account of her life and her significant contributions to gender equality and civil rights in the 20th century.
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