68
Literature
End of Nero’s reign, closing Pamphile’s documented context
By 31 Dec 68 CE, Nero’s reign ended, marking the outer limit of the imperial period during which Pamphile of Epidaurus is known to have flourished.
View detailsThis Day
31December
45 indexed achievements across recorded history.
115
Science
Death of Ban Zhao
Ban Zhao died around 115 CE, ending the life of China's first known female historian; some sources place her death as late as c. 117–120 CE.
View details1805
Literature
Birth of Marie de Flavigny in Frankfurt
Marie Catherine Sophie de Flavigny was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to a French émigré noble father and a German banking-family mother.
View details1817
Activism
British Ladies' Society for Promoting the Reformation of Female Prisoners emerges
Fry's Newgate association expanded into a national organization, among the earliest women-led prison reform societies in Britain.
View details1839
Science
Poses for daguerreotype believed to be the first photographic portrait made in the United States
Dorothy Catherine Draper posed for a daguerreotype made by her brother John William Draper, believed to be the first photographic portrait taken in the U.S.
View details1840
Science
Recognized as the first woman ever photographed
Draper's portrait became recognized as the earliest surviving photographic portrait of a woman and the first woman ever to sit for a photograph.
View details1869
Science
Publication of 'Discourse on Woman'
Mott's book 'Discourse on Woman' was published, compiling and expanding her decades of arguments for women's equality.
View details1881
Arts
Birth of Elizabeth Arden
Elizabeth Arden was born on December 31, 1881, in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.
View details1885
Science
First dishwasher patent application filed
On Dec 31, 1885, Josephine Cochrane filed her first U.S. patent application for a dish-washing machine as “J.G. Cochran.”
View details1894
Science
Second woman elected to the Geological Society of America
By the end of 1894, Bascom had become the second woman elected as a member of the Geological Society of America.
View details1900
Arts
Birth of Selma Burke
Selma Hortense Burke was born in Mooresville, North Carolina, the seventh of ten children of Rev. Neil Burke and Mary Jackson Burke.
View details1919
Aviation
End of term as WRAF Commandant
Gwynne-Vaughan completed her tenure as Commandant of the Women's Royal Air Force at the close of 1919.
View details1925
Literature
Birth of Irina Korschunow
Irina Korschunow was born on December 31, 1925, in Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
View details1930
Science
First woman vice president and officer of the Geological Society of America
By the end of 1930, Bascom had been elected vice president of the Geological Society of America, the first woman to hold that office.
View details1933
Aviation
Youngest U.S. woman with commercial pilot’s license
By late 1933 she qualifies for her commercial license, becoming the youngest woman in the U.S. to hold a commercial pilot’s license.
View details1946
Arts
Birth of Diane von Furstenberg in Brussels
Diane von Furstenberg was born in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 1946, to a Holocaust survivor mother and Greek-Jewish father.
View details1948
Arts
Birth of Donna Summer
Donna Summer was born on December 31, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts.
View details1951
Literature
Named Associated Press Woman of the Year
The Associated Press selected Higgins as its Woman of the Year for 1951, recognizing her acclaimed Korean War reporting.
View details1962
Literature
International success of 'Sex and the Single Girl'
By the end of 1962, the book had sold millions internationally.
View details1964
Politics
Completion of Bulgaria posting as U.S. minister
By December 31, 1964, Eugenie Anderson had completed her service as U.S. minister to Bulgaria, closing a pioneering mission behind the Iron Curtain.
View details1965
Literature
Contracts leishmaniasis while covering the Vietnam War
While reporting from Vietnam for Newsday, Higgins contracted the tropical parasitic disease leishmaniasis and was evacuated to the U.S.
View details1965
Arts
Introduces frank discussions of sex into mainstream women’s magazines
Helen introduced frank discussions of sex in women's magazines.
View details1969
Science
Birth of Turi King
Birth of Turi Emma King in Nottingham, England, later a Canadian‑British geneticist and archaeologist known for leading the DNA identification of King Richard III.
View details1971
Science
First graduate in Astronomy from the University of Chile
Became the first graduate in Astronomy from the University of Chile, a landmark first for Chilean science.
View details1973
Science
Completed M.Sc. at Princeton University
Completed an M.Sc. in astronomy/astrophysics at Princeton, advancing toward a trailblazing research career.
View details1974
Science
Chaired landmark report 'Towards Equality' on the status of women in India
Mazumdar chaired the Committee on the Status of Women in India, whose 1974 report 'Towards Equality' transformed India's women's movement and policy.
View details1975
Science
First woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics at Princeton
Became the first woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics at Princeton University, a landmark first.
View details1979
Science
Began academic career at the University of Chile
Joined the University of Chile’s astronomy department, beginning a long academic career there.
View details1980
Politics
Resignation of Governor Ella Grasso due to illness
Facing ovarian cancer, Governor Ella Grasso resigns from office, ending her historic tenure before completing her second term.
View details1981
Medicine
Life magazine cover as America's first 'test-tube baby'
Appeared on the cover of Life magazine as America's first IVF-conceived baby, cementing her place in national media history.
View details1984
Politics
Named Time "Woman of the Year"
Ferraro was named Time magazine’s Woman of the Year for 1984.
View details1986
Sports
Named top female amateur athlete of the year
Named the country’s top female amateur athlete of 1986 after her breakout skating season.
View details1989
Science
Retires from NASA after 34-year career
Annie Easley retired from NASA in 1989 after a 34-year career that took her from human computer to senior computer scientist and rocket technologist.
View details1992
Activism
Retired as President of Printon Kane Research
Benham retired as President of Printon Kane Research in 1992.
View details1996
Science
Received Cátedra Presidencial en Ciencias
Received Chile’s Cátedra Presidencial en Ciencias, a major recognition of her scientific leadership.
View details1997
Science
National Prize for Exact Sciences
Won Chile’s National Prize for Exact Sciences, becoming the first woman to receive it.
View details1999
Science
First woman to dress for a college football bowl game
Katie Hnida dressed for Colorado in the Insight.com Bowl vs. Boston College, becoming the first woman ever to dress for a bowl game.
View details2000
Science
Died in Norwich, Connecticut
Belle Kogan died on December 31, 2000, at the age of 98, in Norwich, Connecticut.
View details2000
Science
Guggenheim Fellowship
Awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, recognizing the international significance of her astronomy research.
View details2001
Medicine
Identification of FOXP3 mutations causing IPEX syndrome
FOX3 mutations in humans causing IPEX syndrome identified by Brunkow and Ramsdell.
View details2001
Medicine
Breakthrough publication on FOXP3 mutations
Publication on FOXP3 mutations linking to scurfy disease and IPEX in humans.
View details2012
Sports
First female jockey to exceed $10 million in single-year earnings
By 2012-12-31, Rosie Napravnik’s mounts earn over $12.4 million, making her the first female jockey to surpass $10 million in single-year earnings.
View details2013
Literature
Death of Irina Korschunow
Irina Korschunow passed away on December 31, 2013, in Munich, Germany.
View details2021
Arts
Death of Betty White
Betty White died at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, at age 99, just weeks before her 100th birthday.
View details2022
Science
ChatGPT reaches 100 million users
ChatGPT achieved 100 million users under Mira Murati's leadership, setting a growth record.
View details