| Women's Herstory Month (pronounced "her | | | | world. |
| story") is celebrated each year in the month of | | | | Marie Curie (1867 - 1934) - Two-time Nobel prize |
| March. The term "herstory" stems back to the | | | | wining scientist famous for her work with her |
| late 1960s when women wanted to find | | | | husband on radioactivity, leading to the discovery |
| separation from the word "history," and the | | | | of radium and polonium. |
| representation of the pronoun "his." | | | | Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 - 1957) - Author of the |
| Women's Herstory has changed from a method | | | | "Little House on the Prairie" series of books. |
| to describe historical events in the 1960s to a | | | | Mary Francis Winston Newton (1869 - 1959) - The |
| month-long celebration of accomplishments of | | | | first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in |
| women. Today, colleges and universities across | | | | mathematics. |
| the United States hold ceremonies, conferences | | | | Helen Keller (1880 - 1968) - First person to |
| and various events that gather influential female | | | | overcome both blindness and deafness, who then |
| leaders. | | | | proceeded to graduate from college. She is also |
| In recognition of Women's Herstory Month, below | | | | known for her work as an author, activist and |
| are some highlights of notable women and their | | | | lecturer. |
| pioneering accomplishments. Consider your family's | | | | Georgia O'Keeffe (1887 - 1986) - Artist famous |
| genealogy and vital record history. Are you | | | | for her paintings of flowers. |
| related to any of these famous women? | | | | Clara McBride Hale (1905 - 1992) - Founded Hale |
| Betsy Ross (1752 - 1836) - Seamstress who | | | | House, a home for children with AIDS. |
| made the first American flag. | | | | Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964) - Marine biologist and |
| Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley) (1754 | | | | science writer known for her work to help ban |
| - 1832) - Initially she brought water to soldiers on | | | | DDT, a chemical that was killing millions of birds |
| the field during the Revolutionary War; however, | | | | and fish. |
| when her husband was injured in battle, she took | | | | Lucille Ball (1910 - 1989) - Actress and comedy |
| over his gun. | | | | television star. |
| Deborah Sampson (1760 - 1827) - Fought in the | | | | Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005) - Civil rights figure |
| Revolutionary War by pretending to be a man. | | | | known for refusing to give up her bus seat to a |
| Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 - 1896) - Author of | | | | white man in Montgomery, Ala. |
| "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a book about the horrors of | | | | Coretta Scott King (1927 - 2006) - Civil rights |
| slavery in the south, which sold 500,000 copies. | | | | figure known for carrying the fight for civil rights |
| Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815 - 1902) - Social | | | | after the assassination of her husband, Dr. Martin |
| activist and leader in the women's rights | | | | Luther King, Jr. |
| movement. | | | | Sandra Day O'Connor (1930 - ) - First woman to |
| Lucy Stone (1818 - 1893) - Organizer of the first | | | | serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. |
| national women's rights convention, Lucy Stone is | | | | Barbara Jordan (1936 - 1996) - Politician famous |
| also one of the first women in the United States | | | | for being the first African American from a |
| to earn a college degree, graduating first in her | | | | southern state to serve in the U.S. House of |
| class from Oberlin College in 1847. | | | | Representatives and the first African American to |
| Susan B. Anthony (1820 - 1906) - First woman to | | | | be a keynote speaker at the Democratic National |
| have her picture on an American coin, she is the | | | | Convention. |
| founder of the National Woman's Suffrage | | | | Madeleine Albright (1937 - ) - First woman |
| Association and a pioneer in the fight for | | | | appointed as U.S. Secretary of State. |
| Women's Rights. | | | | Wilma Mankiller (1945 - ) - First woman chief of |
| Harriet Tubman (1820 - 1913) - Abolitionist and | | | | the Cherokee Nation. |
| conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading | | | | Did you see any names that might be part of |
| more than 300 slaves to freedom. | | | | your family tree? Are you curious to learn more |
| Clara Barton (1821 - 1912) - Founder of the | | | | about your family genealogy? Various online |
| American Red Cross and nurse during the Civil | | | | services, such as MyHeritage.com, and |
| War. | | | | Genealogy.com, offer genealogy mapping to help |
| Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 - 1910) - First woman | | | | research your family's history. A related segment |
| physician, founder of the New York Infirmary for | | | | to genealogy services is the industry of vital |
| Women and Children, and founder of the | | | | records, which has also undergone advances |
| Women's Medical College in 1867. | | | | through technology. |
| Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886) - Poet and | | | | Researching and obtaining a government-issued |
| American literature contributor. | | | | birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record |
| Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) - Author of "Little | | | | or divorce record used to involve communicating |
| Women" and "Little Men." She is also known for | | | | with a local municipal office. Today, many of |
| her work to get voting rights for women. | | | | these local offices and state vital record agencies |
| Carry Nation (1846 - 1911) - Member of the | | | | have partnered with VitalChek Network, Inc., a |
| temperance movement in pre-Prohibition America. | | | | government-authorized expediting certificate |
| Juliette Gordon Low (1860 - 1927) - Founder of | | | | service with contractual agreements in all 50 |
| the American Girl Scouts. | | | | states as well as in most major metropolitan |
| "Grandma" Moses (Anna Mary Robertson) (1860 - | | | | areas. |
| 1961) - American folk artist and popular American | | | | Women's Herstory Month is a great opportunity |
| painter who sold her first painting when she was | | | | to reflect on famous women who have affected |
| 78 years old. | | | | our society. In addition, it's a great opportunity to |
| Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman) (1864 - | | | | learn more about your family's unique genealogy |
| 1922) - Conducted an undercover expose in which | | | | history. With some time and research, you might |
| she faked insanity to uncover and expose | | | | even discover you are related to one of these |
| conditions in mental hospitals. She is also known | | | | famous women. |
| for a 72-day record-breaking trip around the | | | | |