Today’s Illustrated Women in History is a written submission by James Purvis. Caroline Herschel 1750 – 1848 Caroline Herschel was an astronomer and singer, and was the first woman to be paid for her contribution to science. At the age of 22 Herschel, who had received training in music against the wishes of her mother, …
Constance Markievicz, known as Countess Markievicz was an Irish Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil politician, revolutionary nationalist, suffragette and socialist. She was both the first woman elected to the British Parliament and the only woman to serve in the first Dáil Éireann (Irish Assembly). Markievicz was born in 1868 and grew up at Lissadell, her …
Charlotte Forten Grimké was an African-American teacher and one of the most influential anti-slavery activists of her time. She wrote extensive diaries covering the Civil War and post-war years which give an insight into the life of a free black woman in the North in the antebellum years. Grimké was born in 1837 in Philadelphia, …
Emily Dickinson was a prolific American poet who has been posthumously celebrated for her unusual use of form and syntax. Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her father wanted all of his children to be well-educated and Dickinson attended primary school in Amherst before continuing on to Amherst Academy which had recently opened …
Leyla Hussein is a Somali psychotherapist and social activist. She is Chief Executive of Hawa’s Haven, and a co-founder of Daughters of Eve, a non-profit organisation which campaigns for greater awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and works to support young women and girls. Hussein was born in 1980 in Somalia. At the age of …
Nimko Ali is a Somali social activist. She is the co-founder and Director of the Daughters of Eve non-profit organisation which campaigns for greater awareness of female genital mutilation (FGM) and works to support young women and girls. She is also a founding member of the Women’s Equality Party. Ali was born in Somalia, at …
Hafsat Abiola-Costello is a Nigerian human rights, civil rights and democracy activist, founder of the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), which seeks to strengthen civil society and promote democracy in Nigeria. Abiola was born in 1974 in Lagos, Nigeria to Nigerian politician and philanthropist Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. She was …
Ifrah Ahmed is a Somali anti-FGM campaigner and social activist. She was hugely influential in the passing of anti-FGM legislation in Ireland and is the founder of the United Youth of Ireland and the Ifrah Foundation. Ahmed was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. At the age of 8 she underwent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), along with …
Farrokhroo Parsa was an Iranian physician, educator and parliamentarian. She served as Minister of Education of Iran during the Pahlavi Dynasty and was the first female cabinet minister of an Iranian government. Parsa was born in 1922 in Qom, Iran. Her mother, Fakhr’e Afagh Parsa was the editor of the women’s magazine, Jahan’e Zan (The …
Aki Kurose was a Seattle teacher, peace and social activist who devoted her life to advocating for the neglected, the disadvantaged and children. She helped to establish Seattle’s Head Start program to bring comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. Kurose was born in 1925 in …