At The Leading Woman, we want to find powerful women's stories and give them the platform they need to be heard. There are plenty of pioneering women throughout history whom you will have heard of, but countless more whose stories are still just coming to light or are not yet world-renowned.
Our goal is not just to recite stories for casual reading. We want to give our readers immersive insights into their lives.
Narrowing our list down to 10 exceptional women is no easy task, but we wanted to use the opportunity to highlight 10 very different candidates with unique achievements.
You may recognize McDaniel as Mammy in Gone in the Wind, for which she received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. McDaniel came from the humblest of backgrounds and worked many service jobs before becoming a popular figure among the Hollywood elite.
Her performance as Mammy, the maid in Gone With the Wind, made her the first African American Academy Award winner in history. For a little context, the next Black woman to win the Oscar was Whoopi Goldberg, some 50 years later.
Ada Lovelace was a 19th-century English mathematician who paved the way for modern computing. Before computers or computing technology was anywhere close to being developed, she recognized the immense potential that machine algorithms could have in terms of analyzing complex calculations.
She is seen as one of the early founders of computing and artificial intelligence theory - a good century before the first computers were invented.
In the history books, we learn about Rosa Parks' act of defiance when she refused to give up her bus seat. It was, of course, a moment of historic significance. But we think that it also overshadows her many other achievements.
Rosa Parks also served for 20 years as secretary to a US representative, combating homelessness and fighting for women's rights. When she retired from public service, she set up the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute of Self-Development.
Kahlo is indeed a tragic heroine who did not find success or fame during her life to the extent she has today. She suffered chronic health problems throughout her life, and while she showed remarkable strength and continued to work, eventually, her life was cut short.
But Kahlo's legacy lives on through her artwork. She was a master of self-expression, and her example of speaking for herself is one that all women can look up to.
Not only was Hedy Lamarr a brilliant actress, but she was also one of the greatest inventors of the 20th century. She assisted in the development of a wireless radio guidance system for the Allies in the Second World War.
The technology didn't see deployment during the war but served as a priceless asset afterwards. Her work thereafter formed the core of designing wireless communication systems, including common appliances today, e.g., Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.
Gandhi was the first and only female Prime Minister. We do recognize that while she was an exceptional woman, she is not without controversy. The Indian Prime Minister served two terms, during which she centralized power in the country and revolutionized India's industry. Yet she also went to war with Pakistan and created India's nuclear weapons program. A polarising figure, her second term was cut short when she was assassinated by her guards in 1984.
Gandhi helped to build the foundation of India's modern infrastructure and served for nearly 16 years in office. While not a feminist by definition, she helped create opportunities for Indian women and inspired generations of women.
Marie Curie is the only person to have won two Nobel Prizes in scientific categories. The first came for her work in X-ray technology, leaving an indelible mark on modern science and health. She also won the prize for creating a technique for isolating radioactive isotopes.
Curie's findings made significant advances in quantum physics, medicine, and radioactivity. Today, we benefit greatly from her innovations, especially in cancer treatment.
Jane Austen's best novels, "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility", are now classics and have been retaken many times over for films and television. Her work is enjoyed for its humor and cynicism, but it is an acute social commentary of the era. And female writers did not have an easy ride at the time. Austen herself was required to publish her work under her name.
Austen's voice and message assisted in bringing many great woman writers into being and continue to inspire bidding writing, as well as a huge success with book lovers.
When she ascended to the throne, Britain was still backward and recovering from the Second World War. During her reign, Elizabeth II saw many changes in British society, culture, technology, and infrastructure. Her leading role in all those occurrences was the woman who brought peace and upheld the country's good relationships with the rest of the world.
Her track record is good, considering how the nation was different from when she came to power and when she passed away. However, the Queen brought stability and went on to become one of the most famous women in British history.
Oprah's story is the ultimate rags-to-riches tale in US history. Hailing from a low-income family, Oprah rose to become one of the most influential women in the world, and her show aimed to bring inspirational women to the stage. The Oprah Winfrey Show ran from 1986 to 2011 and touched on deep topics relating to childhood, emotional struggles, and mental health.
Each of these remarkable ladies forever changed society through their unparalleled accomplishments. Defying all expectations, they shattered conventions, demolished obstacles, and left indelible imprints that persist in propelling progress. Whether in the spheres of governance, scientific discovery, creative expression, or social reform, their audacious efforts remind us that even a lone woman armed with pluck and purpose can revolutionize reality.
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