Although influential women should be celebrated all year round, Women’s History Month is a great opportunity to introduce and discuss their fantastic achievements in your classroom.
In this list, I have tried to include a range of women from different eras, ethnicities and professions with the hope that they will inspire the children you teach – the leaders of tomorrow. Follow the links to learn more about each of these women. Perhaps your students could write a biography about a woman of their choice.
Amelia Earhart (1897 – 1939)
- American Aviator
- First Woman to fly solo across Atlantic Ocean
- Disappeared during a flight in 1937
Aretha Franklin (1942 – 2018)
- American Singer/Songwriter
- Civil Rights Activist
- First female in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 20 Grammy Awards
Anne Frank (1929 – 1945)
- German-born Jewish Diarist
- Fled to Amsterdam during World War II
- Hid in secret annexe
- Diary published in 1947
Benazir Bhutto (1953 – 2007)
- Pakistani Politician
- First female leader of a Muslim nation
- Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988)
- Killed by suicide bomber in 2007
Bridget Riley (1931 – Present)
- English Painter
- Known for Op Art Movement
Elisa Leonida Zamfirescu (1887 – 1973)
- Romanian Engineer
- World’s first female chemical engineer
- Led Red Cross Campaign Hospital during World War I
- Involved in activism for disarmament
Ellie Simmonds (1994 – Present)
- English Paralympian Swimmer
- Youngest British Athlete in 2008 Paralympics
- BBC Young Personality of the Year (2008)
- Youngest person ever to receive MBE, aged 14 (2009)
Emmeline Pankhurst (1858 – 1928)
- English Political Activist
- Founded the Women’s Social and Political Union
- Member of Suffragette Movement
Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910)
- English Founder of Modern Nursing
- Known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp’
- Led team of nurses during Crimean War
- Funded St. Thomas’ Hospital and Nightingale Training School for Nurses
Jane Goodall (1934 – Present)
- English Primatologist
- Environmental Activist
- Studied, researched and lived with wild chimpanzees
- Made a Dame of the British Empire (2004)
- UN Messenger of Peace
JK Rowling (1965 – Present)
- English Author of Harry Potter Series
- Awarded an OBE in 2001
- Unemployed to multi-millionaire in five years
Malala Yousafzai (1997 – Present)
- Pakistani Human Rights Activist
- Blogger for the BBC about life under Taliban Rule
- Survivor of a gunshot to the head
- Youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (2014)
Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)
- Polish Physicist and Chemist
- Discovered the elements Polonium and Radium
- Studied and researched radioactivity
- First woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
- First person to be warded two Nobel Prizes
Mary Somerville (1780 – 1872)
- Scottish Researcher of Mathematics and Science
- Self-taught Mathematician
- Author of several Maths and Science books
- Made maths and science more accessible to a wider audience
Nicola Adams (1982 – Present)
- English Boxer
- Winner of the first ever Olympic Women’s Boxing Gold Medal (2012)
- First open LGBT competitor to win an Olympic Gold Medal in boxing
Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005)
- American Civil Rights Activist
- Arrested for breaking segregation laws
- Her arrest led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr
- Known as ‘the mother of the Civil Rights movement’
Stephanie Kwolek (1923 – 2014)
- Polish American Chemist
- Inventor of Kevlar
- First woman to receive Lavoisier Medal for Outstanding Technical Achievement (1995)
Suu Kyi (1945 – Present)
- Burmese Politician, Diplomat and Author
- Led peaceful protests for democracy in Burma
- Remained under house arrest for almost 20 years
- Released in 2010 and was formally elected leader of the opposition in 2012
Valentina Tereshkova (1937 – Present)
- Russian Cosmonaut
- First woman to travel in space
- Only female cosmonaut to complete a solo space flight
Mary Anning (1799 – 1847)
- English Fossil Hunter and Palaeontologist
- Discover dinosaurs: icthyosaur, plesiosaur and dimorphodon
