Mar 11, 2024

Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month and we wanted to celebrate by talking about a few of our favorite inventions, discoveries, and changes made by women! Take some time to read all the amazing things women have done, contributed, and continue to do for our society. We know there are many more firsts, inventions, and discoveries that aren’t listed below, but here are some highlights!

"FIRSTS"

Mary Winston Jackson was the first black female engineer at NASA

Edith Wharton was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1921
Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a President’s cabinet in 1933
Women first get the right to vote, in Wyoming, in 1869
In 1919, the 19th Amendment was passed allowing all women the right to vote
Katherine Graham was the first female Fortune 500 CEO in 1972

Hillary Clinton was the first female presidential nominee in 2016
Kamala Harris was the first female, biracial Vice President in 2021

In 1974, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act passed, which allowed women to get their own credit card, mortgage, or bank account.
In 1882, the Married Women’s Property Act allowed married women to have a job, legally own property, and no longer be looked at as property in the eyes of the law.
Prior to 1973, women were only allowed in the military as nurses or support staff.
In 1977, courts first recognized office sexual harassment.
In 2010, women were first able to obtain health insurance at the same monetary rate as men.

"INVENTIONS & DISCOVERIES"

In 1971, Evelyn Berezin was credited with creating the first word processor.

In 1966, Stephanie Kwolek discovered kevlar, which is used to make bullet-proof vests.
In 1903, Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers.
In 1899, Letitia Geer invented the medical syringe. Before her invention syringes required the use of both hands.

In 1887, Anna Connelly invented the idea of an external metal staircase for buildings. This helped modify building codes to require a secondary emergency escape.
In 1843, Ada Lovelace created the first computer algorithm.
In 1812, Tabitha Babbitt designed the circular saw.

In 1952, Virginia Apgar invented the Apgar score that is still used today to assess the health of a newborn.

In 1910, Caresse Crosby invented the modern day bra.
In 1919, Alice Parker designed a way for families to heat their whole homes - central heating.

In 1914, Florence Parpart designed an electric refrigerator so ice boxes didn’t have to be used to keep food cold.
In 1875, Ellen Eliza Fitz created the first globe.
In 1977, Valerie Thomas supervised the creation of the illusion transmitter that is still used by NASA today.
In the 1960s, Katherine Johnson worked for NASA. Using geometry, she found paths for spacecrafts to orbit and land on the moon.