Are You Related To These Notable Figures In Women’s Herstory?

Women’s Herstory Month (pronounced “her story”) is celebrated each year in the month of March. The term “herstory” stems back to the late 1960s when women wanted to find separation from the word “history,” and the representation of the pronoun “his.”

Women’s Herstory has changed from a method to describe historical events in the 1960s to a month-long celebration of accomplishments of women. Today, colleges and universities across the United States hold ceremonies, conferences and various events that gather influential female leaders.

In recognition of Women’s Herstory Month, below are some highlights of notable women and their pioneering accomplishments. Consider your family’s genealogy and vital record history. Are you related to any of these famous women?

Betsy Ross (1752 - 1836) – Seamstress who made the first American flag.

Molly Pitcher (Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley) (1754 - 1832) – Initially she brought water to soldiers on the field during the Revolutionary War; however, when her husband was injured in battle, she took over his gun.

Deborah Sampson (1760 – 1827) – Fought in the Revolutionary War by pretending to be a man.

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896) – Author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a book about the horrors of slavery in the south, which sold 500,000 copies.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815 – 1902) – Social activist and leader in the women’s rights movement.

Lucy Stone (1818 – 1893) – Organizer of the first national women’s rights convention, Lucy Stone is also one of the first women in the United States to earn a college degree, graduating first in her class from Oberlin College in 1847.

Susan B. Anthony (1820 – 1906) – First woman to have her picture on an American coin, she is the founder of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association and a pioneer in the fight for Women’s Rights.

Harriet Tubman (1820 – 1913) – Abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading more than 300 slaves to freedom.

Clara Barton (1821 – 1912) – Founder of the American Red Cross and nurse during the Civil War.

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821 - 1910) - First woman physician, founder of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, and founder of the Women’s Medical College in 1867.

Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) – Poet and American literature contributor.

Louisa May Alcott (1832 – 1888) – Author of “Little Women" and “Little Men." She is also known for her work to get voting rights for women.

Carry Nation (1846 – 1911) – Member of the temperance movement in pre-Prohibition America.

Juliette Gordon Low (1860 – 1927) – Founder of the American Girl Scouts.

“Grandma" Moses (Anna Mary Robertson) (1860 – 1961) – American folk artist and popular American painter who sold her first painting when she was 78 years old.

Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman) (1864 – 1922) – Conducted an undercover expose in which she faked insanity to uncover and expose conditions in mental hospitals. She is also known for a 72-day record-breaking trip around the world.

Marie Curie (1867 – 1934) – Two-time Nobel prize wining scientist famous for her work with her husband on radioactivity, leading to the discovery of radium and polonium.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867 - 1957) – Author of the "Little House on the Prairie" series of books.

Mary Francis Winston Newton (1869 - 1959) – The first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics.

Helen Keller (1880 – 1968) – First person to overcome both blindness and deafness, who then proceeded to graduate from college. She is also known for her work as an author, activist and lecturer.

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887 – 1986) – Artist famous for her paintings of flowers.

Clara McBride Hale (1905 - 1992) – Founded Hale House, a home for children with AIDS.

Rachel Carson (1907 – 1964) – Marine biologist and science writer known for her work to help ban DDT, a chemical that was killing millions of birds and fish.

Lucille Ball (1910 - 1989) – Actress and comedy television star.

Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005) – Civil rights figure known for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Ala.

Coretta Scott King (1927 - 2006) – Civil rights figure known for carrying the fight for civil rights after the assassination of her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 - ) – First woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Barbara Jordan (1936 – 1996) – Politician famous for being the first African American from a southern state to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and the first African American to be a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

Madeleine Albright (1937 - ) – First woman appointed as U.S. Secretary of State.

Wilma Mankiller (1945 - ) – First woman chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Did you see any names that might be part of your family tree? Are you curious to learn more about your family genealogy? Various online services, such as myheritage.com, rootsweb.com and genealogy.com, offer genealogy mapping to help research your family’s history. A related segment to genealogy services is the industry of vital records, which has also undergone advances through technology.

Researching and obtaining a government-issued birth certificate, death certificate, marriage record or divorce record used to involve communicating with a local municipal office. Today, many of these local offices and state vital record agencies have partnered with VitalChek Network, Inc., a government-authorized expediting certificate service with contractual agreements in all 50 states as well as in most major metropolitan areas.

Women’s Herstory Month is a great opportunity to reflect on famous women who have affected our society. In addition, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about your family’s unique genealogy history. With some time and research, you might even discover you are related to one of these famous women.