A symbolic figure in the American Revolutionary War, the story of a fearless woman named “Molly Pitcher” has been told many times. This woman reportedly brought water to the troops at the Battle of Monmouth and worked the cannon after her husband was wounded. Historians say that “Molly Pitcher” is a fictional woman who represented the many women working on the battlefields. Yet, there is historical evidence that Mary Ludwig Hays was the real “Molly Pitcher.”
Dedicated to helping women with their domestic concerns, Florence L. Hall pursued a career in the domestic sciences. She is noted for heading the Women’s Land Army of America, known as the Women’s Land Army, in the United States during World War II.
Although Jane Delano was related to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, she made a name for herself as a nurse and a leader. She was known for her creative ways of taking care of patients and her ability to organize. She held many leadership positions, including the president of the Board of Directors of the American Journal of Nursing and the first chairman of the National Committee of the Red Cross Nursing Service. Jane Delano also served as the superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps. She dedicated her life to public service and inspired many women to become professional Red Cross nurses around the world.
World renowned performer, World War II spy, and activist are few of the titles used to describe Josephine Baker. One of the most successful African American performers in French history, Baker’s career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world.
Georgia frontierswoman Nancy Morgan Hart was a legendary hero of the American Revolution who made it her mission to rid the Georgia territory of British Loyalists (Tories). According to various accounts, she captured six, killed one, and oversaw the hanging of five others. She also served as a spy.
Deborah Sampson became a hero of the American Revolution when she disguised herself as a man and joined the Patriot forces. She was the only woman to earn a full military pension for participation in the Revolutionary army.
In all of United States History, there has only been one woman to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor. Mary Edwards Walker is that woman. As a surgeon, women’s rights advocate, abolitionist, and spy, Walker became the first female U.S. Army surgeon during the Civil War. Her legacy has been celebrated across the country, and in 2012 Walker’s hometown unveiled a 900-pound bronze statue in honor of her contributions.
Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture traveled far and wide to become a registered nurse. Her determination paid off, and she was the first Native Canadian registered nurse. It was illegal for Native Canadians to get a diploma after elementary school, so Monture had to move to the United States for nursing training. Monture found a way to receive an education and served as an Army nurse during the first World War. She is also reported to be the first Native Canadian woman to receive the right to vote in a Canadian federal election.
A hero of the American Revolution, Margaret Cochran Corbin was the first woman to receive a military pension.
At a very young age Grace Murray Hopper showed an interest in engineering. As a child, she would often take apart household goods and put them back together. Little did her family know, her curiosity would eventually gain her recognition from the highest office in the land.