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This Day in Women's History

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May 20CalendarMay 22
This Day
21May

35 indexed achievements across recorded history.


1758
Mary Campbell
Exploration

Abduction of colonial settler Mary Campbell

Mary Campbell was abducted by Lenape warriors in 1758, beginning the captivity story that later made her a frontier landmark.

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Mary Campbell·Mary Campbell (colonial settler)
1780
Elizabeth Fry
Activism

Birth of Elizabeth Gurney (later Elizabeth Fry) in Norwich

Elizabeth Gurney, future prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, was born at Earlham Hall, Norwich, into a prominent Quaker banking family.

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Elizabeth Fry·Elizabeth Fry - Wikipedia
1799
Mary Anning
Science

Birth of Mary Anning

Mary Anning was born in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, to Richard and Mary (Molly) Anning.

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Mary Anning·Mary Anning | Biography & Facts - Britannica
1809
Mary Kies
Science

First Woman to Receive a U.S. Patent

Mary Kies became the first woman granted a U.S. patent, for a technique of weaving straw with silk and thread, used in hat-making.

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Mary Kies·National Inventors Hall of Fame - Mary Dixon Kies
1815
Lady Hester Stanhope
Science

Destruction of the Ashkelon marble statue

Orders the newly unearthed Ashkelon statue smashed and cast into the sea, a calculated political gesture toward Ottoman authorities.

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Lady Hester Stanhope·Restoring the Reputation of Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope - Neil Asher Silberman, BAR 10-04
1867
Frances Densmore
Arts

Birth of Frances Densmore

Frances Densmore was born on May 21, 1867, in Red Wing, Minnesota.

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Frances Densmore·Minnesota Historical Society
1872
Amanda Theodosia Jones
Science

Patents the Vacuum Method of Food Preservation

Jones patented a vacuum canning process for preserving food, a foundational innovation in the American canning industry.

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Amanda Theodosia Jones·Amanda Jones (inventor) - Wikipedia
1881
Clara Barton
Politics

Founded the American Red Cross

Barton founded the American Red Cross, creating the U.S. institution that would become central to disaster and wartime relief.

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Clara Barton·About Clara Barton | Red Cross Founder
1892
Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Activism

Anti-Lynching Editorial and Destruction of Newspaper Office

On May 21, 1892, a Wells editorial sparked the destruction of her newspaper office by mobs in Memphis.

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Ida B. Wells-Barnett·Gilder Lehrman Institute Article
1903
Rose Schneiderman
Activism

Co-founds the New York branch of the Women's Trade Union League

Schneiderman helped found the New York branch of the Women's Trade Union League, a pivotal organization advocating for women workers' rights.

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Rose Schneiderman·Jewish Women's Archive: Rose Schneiderman
1911
Williamina Fleming
Science

Death of Williamina Fleming

Williamina Fleming passed away in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Williamina Fleming·Wikipedia - Williamina Fleming
1912
Mary White Ovington
Activism

Marches in New York suffrage parade

On May 21, 1912, marched in a parade advocating women's suffrage.

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Mary White Ovington·Mary White Ovington - Wikipedia
1927
Nancy Harkness Love
Aviation

Witnesses Lindbergh’s arrival at Le Bourget

At age 13, she witnesses Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic arrival at Le Bourget Field near Paris on May 21, 1927.

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Nancy Harkness Love·U.S. National Park Service – "A Migrant Story: Nancy Harkness Love"
1930
Dina Appeldoorn
Arts

Birth of Dina Appeldoorn

Dina Appeldoorn was born on May 21, 1930, in Amsterdam.

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Dina Appeldoorn·Dina Appeldoorn - Vrouwenlexicon
1935
Jane Addams
Activism

Death of Jane Addams

Jane Addams died in Chicago on May 21, 1935, three days after being diagnosed with cancer.

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Jane Addams·Britannica: Jane Addams
1937
Mahalia Jackson
Arts

First commercial recording session for Decca Records

Jackson made her first commercial recording session for Decca Records, beginning her recorded-music career.

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Mahalia Jackson·EBSCO Research Starters: Mahalia Jackson begins her recording career
1940
Jacqueline Cochran
Aviation

2,000-kilometer and 100-kilometer speed records

Cochran broke the 2,000-kilometer international speed record and the 100-kilometer national record.

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Jacqueline Cochran·Falcon Foundation brochure on Jacqueline Cochran
1954
Phyllis Fox
Science

Ph.D. awarded at New York University

Fox received her Ph.D. in mathematics from NYU for research on numerical methods.

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Phyllis Fox·Phyllis Fox - Oral Histories - SIAM
1959
Thelma Johnson Streat
Arts

Death of Thelma Johnson Streat in Los Angeles

Death of Thelma Johnson Streat from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.

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Thelma Johnson Streat·Thelma Johnson Streat – English Wikipedia
1959
Gypsy Rose Lee
Science

Broadway musical 'Gypsy' premieres, based on her memoir

The musical 'Gypsy', based on her 1957 memoir, opened at the Broadway Theatre, dramatizing her rise and relationship with her mother.

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Gypsy Rose Lee·Library of Congress - Gypsy National Recording Registry
1974
Lily Kronberger
Sports

Death of Lily Kronberger

Lily Kronberger passed away in Budapest on May 21, 1974.

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Lily Kronberger·Jewish Women's Archive - Lily Kronberger
1983
Margaret Wilson
Activism

Removal as NAACP national board chair

Margaret Bush Wilson was removed as NAACP national board chair.

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Margaret Wilson·Margaret Bush Wilson Obituary
1989
Thea Bowman
Activism

First African-American woman to receive honorary Doctorate in Religion from Boston College

Sister Thea Bowman was awarded an honorary doctorate in Religion by Boston College, marking a first for African-American women.

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Thea Bowman·Boston College - Sr. Thea Bowman Biography
1995
Annie M. G. Schmidt
Literature

Death of Annie M. G. Schmidt in Amsterdam

Annie M.G. Schmidt died on 21 May 1995 in Amsterdam, one day after her 84th birthday, mourned as the most beloved children's author in Dutch history.

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Annie M. G. Schmidt·Wikipedia - Annie M.G. Schmidt
2000
Bjork
Arts

Best Actress Award at Cannes Film Festival

Björk won the Best Actress Award at Cannes on May 21, 2000, for Dancer in the Dark, one of few musicians to win top acting honors.

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Bjork·Björk - Wikipedia
2006
Katherine Dunham
Arts

Death of Katherine Dunham

Katherine Dunham died in her sleep of natural causes on May 21, 2006, in New York City at age 96.

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Katherine Dunham·Katherine Dunham Timeline - Library of Congress
2014
Hedy Lamarr
Science

First Hollywood actress inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame

Hedy Lamarr became the first Hollywood film star posthumously inducted into the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame for her frequency-hopping invention.

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Hedy Lamarr·Hedy Lamarr - National Inventors Hall of Fame
2014
Irinia Krush
Sports

2014 U.S. Women’s Championship title

Krush claimed back-to-back titles with the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship.

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Irinia Krush·US Chess
2014
Frances Arnold
Science

Induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame

Arnold was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for her innovations in directed evolution.

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Frances Arnold·National Inventors Hall of Fame – Frances Arnold
2017
Cher
Science

Iconic performance at 2017 Billboard Music Awards

Cher performs "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time" at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.

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Cher·Cher: Career and Life in Photos - People
2017
Cher
Science

Billboard Icon Award

Cher receives the Billboard Icon Award at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.

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Cher·Billboard Music Award for Icon - Wikipedia
2018
Gina Haspel
Politics

Sworn in as first woman to serve as CIA Director on a permanent basis

Gina Haspel sworn in as CIA Director, first woman in permanent role.

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Gina Haspel·Gina Haspel Sworn In as First Female CIA Director - CIA.gov
2018
Gina Haspel
Politics

International coverage of first woman to head CIA

Gina Haspel becomes first woman to head CIA, noted by Deutsche Welle.

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Gina Haspel·Gina Haspel Becomes First Woman to Head CIA - DW.com
2019
Karen Uhlenbeck
Science

First woman formally presented with the Abel Prize, Oslo

Karen Uhlenbeck received the 2019 Abel Prize from King Harald V of Norway in Oslo, the first time a woman was presented with this top mathematics prize.

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Karen Uhlenbeck·The Abel Prize Ceremony 2019 - Government of Norway
2023
Peggy Whitson
Aviation

First woman commander of a private astronaut mission (Axiom Mission 2)

On May 21, 2023, Whitson became the first woman to command a private astronaut mission with Axiom Mission 2.

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Peggy Whitson·Axiom Space: Peggy Whitson