American Women's History Initiative
This 1940s Solar House Powered Innovation and Women in STEM
As far back as the 1940s, people were worried about running out of fuel. The sun seemed like a feasible alternative
During World War II, Thousands of Women Chased Their Own California Dream
For some who moved west for work, this dream was temporary. For others, it lasted a lifetime
The Historic Tail of the Weeki Wachee Mermaids
You can even learn to “mermaid” yourself, if the fancy takes you
For a Few Decades in the 18th Century, Women and African-Americans Could Vote in New Jersey
Then some politicians got angry
The Forgotten Women Scientists Who Fled the Holocaust for the United States
A new project from Northeastern University traces the journeys of 80 women who attempted to escape Europe and find new lives in America during World War II
How Margarita Cansino Became Rita Hayworth
Hayworth navigated identity, ethnicity and transformation throughout her career
Get Stuck on Band-Aid History
Small injuries are a commonplace problem, but before the Band-Aid, protecting papercuts and other such wounds was a huge hassle
How the American Women Codebreakers of WWII Helped Win the War
A new book documents the triumphs and challenges of more than 10,000 women who worked behind the scenes of wartime intelligence
The Vacuum Cleaner Was Harder to Invent Than You Might Think
The original vacuum cleaner required a number of improvements before becoming the household staple it is today
Flappers Took the Country by Storm, But Did They Ever Truly Go Away
Women of the Roaring Twenties had a lot in common with today's millennials
Meet 10 Depression-Era Photographers Who Captured the Struggle of Rural America
Two women and eight men were sent out with their cameras in 1930s America. What they brought back was an indelible record of a period of struggle
The Amazing Story of the First All-Women North Pole Expedition
Answering an ad in a newspaper, 20 amateur explorers attempted to ski from Arctic Canada to the top of the world
Three Big Ableist Myths About the Life of Helen Keller
The simple story that's usually told about her today reflects cultural biases that have nothing to do with her actual life
Three Horrifying Pre-FDA Cosmetics
From mercury-loaded face cream to mascara that left you blind
Lizzie Borden Didn’t Kill Her Parents (Maybe)
Borden was acquitted of the crime on this day in 1893, but no one else was ever charged
The Woman Whose Words Inflamed the American Revolution
Mercy Otis Warren used her wit to agitate for independence
Meet the Rogue Women Astronauts of the 1960s Who Never Flew
But they passed the same tests the male astronauts did—and, yes, in high heels
Rachel Jackson, the Scandalous Divorcee Who Almost Became First Lady
Rachel Jackson ran away from her husband and got divorced to marry Andrew, an incident that haunted her for life
Meet the Daredevil Parachutist Who Tested the First Nylon Parachute 75 Years Ago
Adeline Gray was just 24, but she was already an experienced parachutist and a trained pilot
Belle Boyd, Civil War Spy
The so-called “Siren of Shenandoah” stole weapons and carried letters in service to the Confederacy
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