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It’s well-known that women are just as capable as men—particularly in fields like science, art, politics, governance, and academia. Unfortunately, it’s also well-known that women were not seen in this equal light for centuries. Men dominated these fields for what seemed like an eternity.
While many men made great contributions to the advancement of civilization and the betterment of society, women were often equally influential behind the scenes. Sadly, they didn’t receive the praise or recognition they truly deserved.
That’s the focus of this article. Here, we’ll examine the lives of ten remarkable women who played a key role in transforming society. However, at the time of their contributions, they were largely ignored—or completely forgotten!
Let’s now correct this oversight by highlighting their extraordinary accomplishments. Here are the stories of ten women who worked closely with their male counterparts and made world-changing contributions, all while receiving little to no recognition for their groundbreaking work.
10. Dorothy Vaughan
You might not recognize her name, but Dorothy Vaughan was a key figure who helped propel NASA forward during and after World War II, and into the space race of the 1950s and 1960s.
Born in 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri, Dorothy—a Black woman—was exceptionally gifted from a young age. As a teenager, she earned a full scholarship to Wilberforce University. Throughout the 1930s, she worked as a math teacher, dedicated to passing on her knowledge to the younger generation.
When World War II broke out, the American government and businesses needed capable women to fill the roles of the men who had gone to war. This is when Vaughan’s career took a pivotal turn. In 1943, she joined a group of Black female mathematicians at the West Area Computing Unit, part of NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
At NACA, Vaughan meticulously worked on solving complex mathematical equations related to the defense industry and spaceflight ambitions for the United States. When NASA emerged as a separate entity after the war and the space race took off, she made history as the first Black manager in the organization—a woman, no less, in an era when science was largely dominated by men!
Her managerial position made her the first Black person and the first woman to receive a promotion at NASA. She was highly skilled as well, being one of the organization’s early experts in FORTRAN, a precursor to modern computer programming.
9. Ada Lovelace
Born in 1815 in the London area, Ada Lovelace is celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer for her groundbreaking work on Charles Babbage’s analytical engine. In the 19th century, Babbage envisioned creating a machine that could perform calculations and analysis based on input data. This was, in many ways, the earliest prototype for the modern computer.
Lovelace analyzed the complexities of that device and created a program for it. In doing so, she became the first computer programmer in history. This all occurred in 1843 when she came across a French paper on the analytical engine, written by an Italian mathematician. She translated the paper, added an extensive series of annotations, clarified its questions, and explained how the engine might operate under various inputs and conditions.
Babbage was impressed with her work, and it complemented his own ideas perfectly. The fact that Lovelace was able to accurately predict how the analytical engine would function and how it could be used was a revolutionary moment in bridging human programmers with the machines they were developing. Unfortunately for Lovelace and the rest of the world, Babbage never fully completed the analytical engine, nor did he bring it to market.
Despite Babbage’s failure, Lovelace is still widely celebrated. The early computer programming language Ada was named in her honor. In the UK, the second Tuesday of October has been designated as Ada Lovelace Day—a yearly celebration that recognizes the contributions of women in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering.
8. Emmy Noether
Emmy Noether, a mathematician born in Germany in 1882, later moved to the United States, where she continued much of her groundbreaking work. Brilliant men of her time, including Albert Einstein, hailed her as the most significant female mathematician in history. And for good reason!
Noether essentially founded abstract algebra and theoretical physics and laid the groundwork for ring theory. For many years, she worked with little to no pay, exploring theorems and proofs in ways no one before her had thought to. Although Noether published a number of groundbreaking papers in math and physics, her most notable achievement is Noether's theorem, which unified two crucial pillars of physics: symmetry in nature and the universal laws of conservation of matter and energy.
Noether’s theorem revealed profound connections between observed, real-world physics quantities and their abstract mathematical counterparts. Her career reached its pinnacle in 1932 when she delivered a lecture at the International Congress of Mathematicians. In this talk, she explained the significance of important abstract algebraic ideas, including number theory, representation theory, and the relationship between commutative and non-commutative values in both math and physics.
Sadly, after a long battle with tumors in her abdomen and uterus, Noether passed away much too soon in 1935. However, her legacy remains alive through her work, and the mathematical advancements that have emerged in recent decades are directly tied to her groundbreaking contributions and research.
7. Mary Anning
Mary Anning, born in 1799, became one of the most prominent fossil collectors and paleontologists of the 19th century. Remarkably, she did all of this without pay, without recognition, and remained largely unacknowledged until long after her death. Anning spent much of her life working along the cliffs of the English Channel in Dorset, located in southwestern England.
There, close to Lyme Regis, she uncovered a remarkable series of Jurassic marine fossil beds. Every winter, when landslides exposed new fossils along the coastal cliffs, Anning would head out to carefully collect the bones before the ocean could wash them away. She diligently cataloged and identified each fossil she found.
Her discoveries were truly remarkable. At the age of 12, she uncovered the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton. Later, she discovered the first two nearly complete plesiosaur skeletons, along with the first pterosaur skeleton found outside of Germany. Additionally, she found numerous fish fossils from the Jurassic era.
Her discoveries were pivotal in showing that coprolites, once thought to be bezoar stones, were actually fossilized remnants of ancient animal waste. Additionally, she became the first to uncover that fossils of belemnite creatures, much like today's cephalopods, held ink sacs.
Despite her significant contributions, Anning was never allowed to join the Geological Society of London during her lifetime, primarily because of her gender. Her financial struggles were persistent, and for much of her life, she was denied recognition for her work in the scientific community.
Although she started gaining recognition within geological and paleontological circles by the early 1840s, Anning remained largely an outsider until her death in 1847. It wasn't until after her passing, and more notably in recent years, that the scientific community finally began to acknowledge her groundbreaking discoveries and contributions.
6. Shirley Chisholm
Born in 1924 in Brooklyn to parents who had emigrated from Barbados, Shirley Chisholm repeatedly made history in the realms of politics and governance. After earning degrees from Brooklyn College and Teachers College at Columbia University, she began her career in education.
In 1968, Shirley Chisholm made history by becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress, representing New York's 12th district. During her time in office, she worked on expanding the existing food stamp program and was instrumental in creating the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, now known as WIC.
Chisholm wasn’t done making an impact. In 1971, she co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus, and in 1972, she took a bold step by running for president. When the Democratic Party convened to select their candidate, Shirley threw her hat into the ring as a nominee.
Although she didn’t secure her party’s nomination, Chisholm made history as the first Black candidate to run for a major party’s presidential nomination. She was also the first woman to seek the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Shirley served in Congress until 1983, when she stepped down from her role representing the American people.
Chisholm passed away in 2005, after dedicating much of her life to public service and political activism. In 2015, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing her remarkable contributions to the United States and her groundbreaking career in Congress.
5. Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr, renowned for her stunning beauty during Hollywood’s Golden Age, is also credited with a surprising contribution to modern technology. In the early 1940s, she partnered with her neighbor, composer George Antheil, to explore how they could support the American war effort during World War II. Their unexpected collaboration would lead to a discovery that would eventually influence the development of Wi-Fi.
Lamarr and Antheil, both fascinated by radio technology, soon began experimenting together. They aimed to enhance American communication systems for both the battlefield and the homefront. In 1942, after much tinkering, they cracked the code for 'frequency hopping,' a method that allowed radio signals to jump between frequencies, making their communication secure and resistant to interference.
Their breakthrough achieved two vital outcomes. First, it ensured that radio signals, which were crucial for broadcasting, would no longer be jammed. Second, it prevented others from eavesdropping on encrypted messages. After patenting the technology in late 1942, Lamarr and Antheil handed it over to the U.S. government, believing it would bolster the military’s ability to fight against the Nazis and the Japanese.
The impact of 'frequency hopping' was immediate and significant. Allied forces were now able to securely communicate over radio without interference from the enemy. This 'secret communications system' enabled them to send encrypted messages about troop movements and other critical information, strengthening their position in the war effort.
The legacy of frequency hopping extended far beyond its wartime use. Over time, the technology served as the foundation for the wireless technologies we use today, including Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. While Lamarr may not have invented Wi-Fi directly, her pioneering work played a crucial role in the creation of the wireless world we live in today.
4. Junko Tabei
While Junko Tabei may not be a household name in mountaineering, her achievements are nothing short of extraordinary. The Japanese mountaineer was the 36th person to summit Mount Everest, which alone might not seem remarkable. However, what sets her apart is that she was the first woman to reach the top of the world’s highest peak—cementing her legacy as a true trailblazer in the climbing world.
Tabei’s accomplishments didn’t stop with Everest. She was the first woman to conquer the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. Her achievement was groundbreaking, as only a few men had managed to complete this remarkable feat before she did.
Despite her monumental achievements, Tabei’s name is not widely recognized in adventure circles, largely because she preferred to remain out of the public eye. Instead of seeking fame, she worked as a teacher while pursuing her mountaineering passions. Throughout her life, she authored seven books on climbing and adventure. Additionally, she led yearly expeditions up Mount Fuji with young people facing adversity in Japan and became deeply involved in environmental efforts, organizing clean-up initiatives on Everest to rid the mountain of litter left by other climbers.
Tabei passed away in 2016, but her influence continues to resonate—especially in space! A mountain range on Pluto (formerly a planet) has been named Tabei Montes in her honor. Furthermore, in 2019, an astronomer immortalized her legacy by naming asteroid 6897 'Tabei' after the remarkable climber.
3. Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell made history in the mid-1800s as the first woman to earn a medical degree and practice medicine in the United States. Born in England in 1821, she and her family, who were abolitionists, relocated to America when Elizabeth was just 11. After the death of her father, Blackwell turned to teaching to support herself after her education.
While it might seem like Blackwell could have led a quiet, ordinary life as a teacher, fate had other plans. In the early 1840s, a close friend of hers fell ill and, as she was dying, mentioned that she believed she might have received better care had her doctor been a woman. This remark stuck with Blackwell, planting the seed for a groundbreaking career change.
Determined to help other women in similar situations, Blackwell decided to pursue medicine. After her friend passed away, she convinced two physicians to take her under their wing and began studying medicine in 1845. For almost two years, she read medical texts and learned under their guidance.
In 1847, Blackwell applied to several medical schools in New York and Philadelphia. She was ultimately accepted to Geneva Medical College in New York. In a surprising turn of events, the faculty voted on whether to admit her to their all-male institution, and, after some jokes, they voted 'yes.' Blackwell began her medical studies there that same year, marking the start of her trailblazing journey in medicine.
In 1849, Blackwell made history by graduating from Geneva Medical College, becoming the first woman ever to earn an MD from an American medical school. She went on to practice medicine, transforming the lives of many patients in the process. But her contributions didn’t end there—she went on to achieve even greater things later in life.
In 1857, Blackwell played a key role in founding the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, an institution that marked a significant milestone for women in the medical field. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell was truly a trailblazer in an era when many women were denied such opportunities. Her efforts paved the way for future generations of women in medicine.
2. Frances Oldham Kelsey
In 1960, Frances Oldham Kelsey was hired by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate the safety of chemicals, additives, and other substances used in food production across the country. Her first major task came early in her career, when she was asked to review the case of thalidomide.
Kelsey made an unprecedented decision by halting the approval of thalidomide as a sleeping pill. She argued that the drug had not undergone sufficient testing and was being rushed to market under heavy corporate pressure. The FDA sided with Kelsey’s judgment and banned the drug from being distributed in the United States, saving countless lives from potential harm.
Unfortunately, consumers in Germany and the United Kingdom were not as fortunate. In these countries, thalidomide was widely used as a sleeping aid throughout the 1960s. Then, a troubling and deeply tragic pattern emerged: both nations witnessed an alarming rise in the number of babies born with severe birth defects. The cause was traced back to the thalidomide sleeping pills that had been recently introduced and were in heavy circulation.
As a result, Kelsey and other medical professionals in the U.S. were able to leverage this evidence to permanently ban thalidomide in America. Though thousands of children suffered terribly due to the drug, the U.S. population was spared. In her very first month in office, Kelsey emerged as an unsung hero.
In August 1962, President John F. Kennedy moved to recognize her diligent efforts. He awarded her the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Kelsey was only the second woman to ever receive this prestigious award. “Her exceptional judgment in evaluating a new drug for safety for human use has prevented a major tragedy of birth deformities in the United States,” Kennedy declared at the ceremony. “Through her remarkable skill and unwavering confidence in her professional decision, she has made an invaluable contribution to the protection of American public health.”
To this day, Frances Kelsey remains a figure who deserves far greater recognition for her quiet yet vital role in shaping public health policy in America.
1. Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, single-handedly launched the modern environmental movement with her groundbreaking 1962 book Silent Spring. The book was written to highlight the increasing strain human consumption was placing on the Earth, as well as the growing demands of an expanding global population. Carson sought to raise awareness about the need to better regulate the production and distribution of harmful chemicals found in pesticides like DDT.
Furthermore, she was determined to encourage people to consume less, reduce their waste, and become more mindful of how their choices impacted their communities and the planet. Tragically, Carson passed away in 1964, just two years after publishing her book, and did not live to see how Silent Spring would ignite the modern environmental movement.
After her death, Carson's book became a bestseller. Soon after, young activists from the late 1960s and early 1970s rallied around environmental issues. This movement grew even larger in response to the energy crises of the 1970s, and environmentalism solidified itself as a political and social force that would endure.
Today, environmentalism remains a major issue for political parties on both sides of the aisle in the United States and around the world. Global leaders and climate activists continue to debate what actions must be taken in the coming decades. It's remarkable to think that it all began with Carson’s seminal Silent Spring, which was first published over 60 years ago, initially in relative obscurity.
