10 Famous Women in History Kids Should Know About

Some people were born to be leaders, and our lives are better for it. Where would we be without the brave women who step forward into the spotlight to help light the way? From historical heroes to present-day pioneers, kids should know these women’s names as well as their incredible stories. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, here are 25 diverse, famous women in history to share with kids.

1. Anne Frank. Along with her Jewish family, Anne Frank hid in a secret annex with four other people throughout World War II until they were discovered and sent to concentration camps in 1944. During this time, 12-year-old Anne kept a journal, which was published by her father, the lone member of the Frank family to survive. The Diary of Anne Frank has been translated into nearly 70 languages and is a message of hope, love, and strength in the face of one of the darkest moments in history.

2. Virginia Woolf. If you’re into the literary arts, you’ve probably heard of Virginia Woolf, but many don’t know her life story. An early feminist writer, Woolf was a survivor of sexual abuse who spoke out about the disadvantages women faced as artists. Her work helped expand women’s access to the heavily male-dominated literary world.

3. Sally Ride. After flying on the Challenger in 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel to space. She encouraged women and girls to pursue STEM careers, serving as director of the California Space Science Institute, writing children’s books, and collaborating with science programs.  She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

4. Hedy Lamarr. As a glamorous, beautiful film star, Hedy Lamarr made a name for herself during the golden age of Hollywood. Her legacy extends far beyond this, though. Lamarr and composer George Antheil actually developed a system that essentially invented basic GPS technology. Unfortunately, because she wasn’t an American citizen, the woman that many have dubbed “the mother of Wi-Fi” was left off the patent and was never compensated—but we haven’t forgotten! Her contributions definitely earn her a spot among the most famous women in history.

5. Marie Curie. A pioneering physicist in a male-dominated field, Marie Curie is best known for discovering the elements radium and polonium, coining the term “radioactivity,” and inventing the portable x-ray machine. The Polish-born scientist was also the first person to win two Nobel prizes and remains the only person to win for two different sciences (chemistry and physics).

6. Malala Yousafzai. Growing up in a Pakistani village, Malala’s father was a teacher who ran an all-girls school—until the Taliban enforced a ban on girls being educated. At just 15 years old, Malala spoke out against the actions of the Taliban, leading a gunman to shoot her in the head on a school bus. Not only did she survive this horrific attack, but she also emerged as a vocal activist on the world stage and was 17 years old when she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

7. Amelia Earhart. Growing up in Kansas, Amelia Earhart pushed against gender norms. She played basketball, took auto repair courses, and enrolled in college before leaving to pursue a career as an aviator. She earned her pilot’s license in 1921 and became not only the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic but also the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to the US mainland. During her attempt to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe, Earhart disappeared somewhere over the Pacific.

8. Roberta Bobbi Gibb. In 1966, after two years of training to run the Boston Marathon, Bobbi Gibb received a letter from the race director informing her that women weren’t physically able to run long distances. She spent four days on a bus from San Diego and hid in the bushes near the starting line on race day. When it was discovered that she was a woman, the crowds cheered her on and then-governor of Massachusetts John Volpe waited to shake her hand when she crossed the finish line after three hours, 21 minutes, and 40 seconds.

9. Marion Pritchard. During World War II, Marion Pritchard risked her own life to protect the Jews. She found ways to sneak food into ghettos, provide fake IDs, and even place infants in non-Jewish homes. She hid a family under the floorboards in her living room when three Nazis and a Dutch collaborator appeared at her door. They’d remained undetected until the collaborator later returned. She shot and killed him to protect the family. In total, it’s believed that Pritchard saved 150 Jews during the Holocaust.

10. Frida Kahlo. In her youth, Frida Kahlo contracted polio and then survived a devastating bus accident when she was 18 years old. Although she spent so much of her early life bedridden in pain, she went on to become one of the most significant, celebrated artists of the 20th century. Her pride and passion for her Mexican heritage, as well as her ongoing health struggles and tumultuous marriage to Diego Rivera, shaped and influenced her groundbreaking art.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services