The Women Who Shaped History – and Those Who Are Advocating for Our Future

In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the generations of women who have fought for equality, challenged injustice, and reshaped our world. Their work has been as diverse as the women themselves – spanning movements for voting rights, labor protections, education, civil rights, and more.

Many times, their names have been forgotten or their impact understated. Today, we honor them. We say their names.

The Women Who Fought for Freedom

These are a few of the women who paved the way for the rights we have today:

Harriet Tubman (March 1822 - March 10, 1913) escaped slavery and returned to Maryland again and again, leading hundreds to freedom through the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, she became a spy, a nurse, and the first woman to lead a military operation in U.S. history. For Tubman, freedom was never just personal – it was a collective struggle.

Ida B. Wells (July 16, 1862 - March 25, 1931) was one of the most fearless journalists of her time, exposing the horrors of lynching in America. When white suffragists asked her to march in the back of a 1913 parade, she refused, stepping into the front lines. She knew that true justice meant fighting both racism and sexism, no matter the cost.

Mary Church Terrell (September 23, 1863 - July 24, 1954) was one of the first Black women to earn a college degree and used her platform to advocate for both racial and gender equality. A charter member of the NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, she worked tirelessly toward desegregation and women’s suffrage, knowing that liberation had to be intersectional.

Zitkála-Šá (February 22, 1876 - January 26, 1938) was a Yankton Dakota writer, activist, and musician who fought for Indigenous rights. She exposed the abuses of boarding schools and co-founded the National Council of American Indians, demanding sovereignty and self-determination for Native peoples.

Wilma Mankiller (November 18, 1945 - April 6, 2010) became the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, proving that Indigenous women belonged in positions of power. She spent her life strengthening Native communities, fighting for land rights, and showing that leadership wasn’t about titles – it was about lifting others up.

The Women Who Challenged Power

These women built movements, passed laws, and redefined what leadership could look like:

Constance Baker Motley (September 14, 1921 - September 28, 2005) was the first Black woman to argue before the Supreme Court – and she won nearly every case. As a civil rights lawyer, she helped desegregate schools, restaurants, and parks. Later, as a judge, she became the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary, proving that justice could have a voice like hers.

Ella Baker (December 13, 1903 - December 13, 1986) was one of the most influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, rejecting the idea that leadership belonged to a few great men. Instead, she built grassroots power, mentoring young activists and helping form organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Dolores Huerta (April 10, 1930 - ) co-founded the United Farm Workers and organized strikes that changed labor laws. When police brutally beat her at a protest, breaking multiple ribs and shattering her spleen, she refused to be silenced. Her phrase – "Sí, se puede" (Yes, we can) – became a rallying cry for movements across the country.

Shirley Chisholm (November 30, 1924 - January 1, 2005) refused to wait her turn. The first Black woman elected to Congress, she ran for president in 1972 – not for attention, but to prove that the political system belonged to all people, not just white men. “I am and always will be a catalyst for change,” she said. And she was.

Frances Perkins (April 10, 1880 - May 14, 1965) didn’t just break barriers – she transformed them. As the first woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet, she was the architect of Social Security, minimum wage laws, and workplace safety regulations, proving that economic justice is key to women’s freedom.

Dorothy Height (March 24, 1912 - April 20, 2010) was a trailblazer in both the civil rights and women’s rights movements. As the longtime president of the National Council of Negro Women, she worked to combat racism and sexism, ensuring that Black women had a seat at the table in the fight for equality.

The Women Leading Today

These women are on the frontlines for justice now – demanding reproductive rights, racial equity, and dignity for all:

Tarana Burke (September 12, 1973 - ) founded the #MeToo movement long before it was a viral hashtag, amplifying the voices of BIPOC survivors of sexual violence. Her work reminds us that justice isn’t just about holding abusers accountable – it’s about healing communities.

Alicia Garza (January 4, 1981 - ), Patrisse Cullors (June 20, 1983 - ), and Opal Tometi (August 15, 1984 - ) co-founded the Black Lives Matter movement, exposing the deep roots of systemic racism in America. Through protests, policy work, and activism, they have transformed the conversation on race and justice.

Mónica Ramírez (August 19, 1977 - ) has led the struggle for the rights of Latina farmworkers, exposing the gendered and racial abuses they endure in the fields. She knows that economic justice and women’s rights cannot be separated – and she works to make sure neither is ignored.

The Struggle for Justice Continues

These women didn’t wait for change. They made it happen. And the struggle is far from over.

Today, we find ourselves at another crossroads. Women’s rights – especially reproductive rights – are under attack, with policies being passed that roll back decades of progress. Women of color continue to face the harshest consequences of these restrictions. The struggle for equal pay, protections against workplace harassment, and fair representation in leadership is as relevant now as ever before.

At Ending Racism USA, we believe that Women’s History Month is not just about looking back – it’s about pushing forward. It’s about honoring the women who led the struggle before us by continuing their work. It’s about demanding equality in policy, in leadership, in healthcare, in employment, and in everyday life. Women’s history is still being written today, and we all have a role to play in shaping this next chapter.