All around the world, International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8. From small, informal gatherings to large, highly-organized events, this day honors women of the past, present, and future as it inspires all women to achieve their full potential. For Women’s History Month, then, let’s pay homage to some of America’s women.
_ Virginia Dare was the first person born in America to English parents. It happened in Roanoke Island, VA.
_ Anne Bradstreet’s book of poems was published in England, thus making her the first published American woman writer.
_ Mary Katherine Goddard became the first woman postmaster in the country. It was in Baltimore.
_ Deborah Samson enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment disguised as a man because women were not allowed to fight as soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
_ Mother Bernardina Matthews established a Carmelite convent near Port Tobacco, MD, the first community of Roman Catholic nuns in the original Thirteen Colonies.
_ Anne Parrish established the House of Industry in Philadelphia, the first charitable organization for women in America.
_ Mary Kies became the first woman to receive a patent. It was for a method of weaving straw with silk.
_ Elizabeth Blackwell received her M.D. degree from the Medical Institution of Geneva, NY, thus making her the first woman doctor.
_ Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was awarded a Medal of Honor for her service as a surgeon during the Civil War, the only woman to receive this highest military award.
_ Frances Elizabeth Willard became the president of Evanston College, thus making her the first woman college president.
_ Victoria Claflin Woodhull was nominated to be President of the United States by the Equal Rights Party, thus making her the first woman presidential candidate.
_ Belva Ann Lockwood became the first woman lawyer to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
_ Susanna Madora Salter became the first woman elected mayor. It happened in Argonia, KS.
_ Alice Guy Blache, as the first American woman film director, shoots her first film, La Fee aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy).
_ Women were first allowed to compete in the Olympics. They numbered 19 out of 1,225 athletes.
_ Kate Gleason became the first woman president of the First National Bank of East Rochester, thus making her the first woman president of a national bank.
_ Edith Wharton was the first American woman novelist to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It was awarded for her novel, The Age of Innocence.
_ All American women were granted the right to vote by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
_ Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman governor, being elected to replace her deceased husband in Wyoming.
_ Janet Gaynor became the first woman to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
_ Jackie Mitchell was signed to be a pitcher for the Chattanooga Baseball Club, thus making her the first woman in organized baseball.
_ Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
_ Frances Perkins was appointed Secretary of Labor, thus making her the first woman member of a presidential cabinet.
_ Lettie Pate Whitehead became the first American woman director of a major corporation. It was the Coca-Cola Company.
_ Annie G. Fox was the first woman to receive the Purple Heart.
_ Jerrie Cobb was the first Americn woman to undergo astronaut testing.
_ Birth control pills were approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
_ Muriel Siebert was the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.
_ Susan Lynn Roley and Joanne E. Pierce became the first women FBI agents.
_ Dr. Sally K. Ride became the first American woman in space.
_ Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn in as the first woman, and Hispanic, U.S. Surgeon General.
_ Lt. Kendra Williams, USNFree Reprint Articles, became the first U.S. woman combat pilot to bomb an enemy target. It was during Operation Desert Fox in Iraq.
_ Julia Roberts became the first actress to earn the same top-dollar amount as men for starring in a movie.
_ Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Activities
- I intentionally left out the dates so your children can do the research and create a timeline.
- Categorize the events above and list the appropriate women’s names in each.
- Find out about other women by areas of interest or decades.
- Choose a country and find out about its women’s progress.
Always believe in yourself!!I hope these ideas are useful and have inspired your own creativity.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Freda J. Glatt, MS, is a retired K-6 teacher. Helping others reinforce reading comprehension through FUNdamental Reading Activities, including games and worksheets, is her new educational goal. Visit her site at http://www.sandralreading.com.