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This Day in Women's History

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October 18CalendarOctober 20
This Day
19October

23 indexed achievements across recorded history.


1216
Isabella of Angouleme Wife of King John
Politics

Widowhood upon death of King John

King John of England died, leaving Isabella a royal widow.

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Isabella of Angouleme Wife of King John·Wikipedia
1469
Isabella I of Castile
Politics

Marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon

Married Ferdinand of Aragon in Valladolid, forging the dynastic union that underpinned the future political unification of Spain.

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Isabella I of Castile·Isabella I of Castile - Wikipedia
1835
Amanda Theodosia Jones
Science

Birth of Amanda Theodosia Jones

Amanda Theodosia Jones was born in East Bloomfield, New York, on October 19, 1835.

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Amanda Theodosia Jones·Amanda Jones (inventor) - Wikipedia
1850
Annie Smith Peck
Exploration

Born in Providence, Rhode Island

Annie Smith Peck was born on October 19, 1850, in Providence, Rhode Island, the only daughter among five children of a prominent local family.

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Annie Smith Peck·Wikipedia: Annie Smith Peck
1868
Bertha Knight Landes
Politics

Birth of Bertha Knight Landes

Bertha Knight Landes was born in Ware, Massachusetts.

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Bertha Knight Landes·HistoryLink: Bertha Knight Landes
1904
Lillian Gilbreth
Science

Marriage to Frank Bunker Gilbreth

Married Frank Gilbreth, beginning influential partnership in motion study.

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Lillian Gilbreth·Lillian Moller Gilbreth - Wikipedia
1909
Marguerite Perey
Science

Birth in Villemomble, France

Marguerite Catherine Perey was born in Villemomble, a town east of Paris, France.

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Marguerite Perey·Marguerite Perey - Encyclopedia.com
1922
Alice Brown Davis
Science

Appointed First Female Chief of the Seminole Nation

On October 19, 1922, Alice Brown Davis was appointed by President Warren G. Harding as the first female chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

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Alice Brown Davis·Alice Brown Davis - Wikipedia
1943
Hattie Caraway
Politics

First woman officially to preside over the U.S. Senate

Hattie Caraway was the first woman to officially preside over the U.S. Senate.

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Hattie Caraway·Senate History - A Woman Presides Over the Senate
1943
Camille Claudel
Arts

Death of Camille Claudel

Camille Claudel died on October 19, 1943, in Montdevergues, France.

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Camille Claudel·In the shadow of Rodin - The Guardian
1950
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Literature

Millay's Death

Edna St. Vincent Millay died on October 19, 1950, in Austerlitz, New York.

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Edna St. Vincent Millay·Encyclopedia Britannica - Edna St. Vincent Millay
1962
Rosalind Franklin
Science

Nobel Prize awarded for work on DNA structure

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded for DNA structure discovery.

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Rosalind Franklin·National Library of Medicine - Biographical Overview
1965
Irena Sendler
Activism

Recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem

Yad Vashem formally recognized Irena Sendler as Righteous Among the Nations, honoring her rescue of thousands of Jewish children during the Holocaust.

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Irena Sendler·Righteous Among the Nations - Sendler
1982
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner
Science

Joint patent for toilet tissue holder

Joint toilet tissue holder patent awarded with her sister, designed for accessibility.

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Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner·Ruby Love: Black History Month Feature
1989
Jaqueline Goes de Jesus
Science

Birth of Jaqueline Goes de Jesus

Jaqueline Goes de Jesus was born on October 19, 1989, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

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Jaqueline Goes de Jesus·Jaqueline Goes de Jesus - Wikipedia
1999
Nathalie Sarraute
Science

Death of Nathalie Sarraute in Paris

Nathalie Sarraute died on October 19, 1999, in Paris at the age of 99, having remained a towering figure of French letters.

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Nathalie Sarraute·Nathalie Sarraute - Wikipedia
1999
Martha Stewart
Arts

IPO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

MSLO holds IPO on October 19, 1999.

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Martha Stewart·Martha Stewart's Career Timeline - Business Insider
2003
Mother Teresa
Activism

Beatification by Pope John Paul II

Mother Teresa is beatified by Pope John Paul II in Rome.

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Mother Teresa·EBSCO Research Starters: Mother Teresa
2003
Margaret Murie
Activism

Death of Margaret Murie

Margaret Murie passed away in Moose, Wyoming.

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Margaret Murie·Los Angeles Times: Margaret Murie, 101; ‘Grandmother’ of Conservation Movement
2013
Hilda Hänchen
Science

Death of Hilda Hänchen

Hilda Hänchen, co-discoverer of the Goos–Hänchen effect in optics, died on October 19, 2013.

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Hilda Hänchen·Hilda Hänchen - Wikipedia
2020
Irinia Krush
Sports

Eighth U.S. Women’s Championship title (2020)

Krush won her eighth U.S. Women’s Championship in the 2020 online edition.

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Irinia Krush·Saint Louis Chess Club
2022
Kazuyo Sejima
Arts

Praemium Imperiale in Architecture award

Sejima and Nishizawa of SANAA were announced as recipients of the 2022 Praemium Imperiale in Architecture, awarded by the Japan Art Association.

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Kazuyo Sejima·Kazuyo Sejima - Wikipedia
2023
Ruth Carter
Arts

First Black recipient of the Coolidge Award

Coolidge Corner Theatre names her first Black recipient of its prestigious Coolidge Award.

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Ruth Carter·Mass native Ruth E. Carter was the first Black woman to win 2 Oscars. She didn’t stop there – Boston.com