Welcome to International Women’s Birthdays! From Adams & Addams to Zaharias and beyond: each day we celebrate the birthday of one woman whose aspirational & inspirational accomplishments merit recognition as much as any man born in January, February, or even December. DM to suggest a future honoree.
08:35 AM - Mar 01, 2023
2 Threaded Spouts
Happy Birthday, Erika Cremer(1900-1996)!
When the Nazi gov’t sharply limited women’s opportunities, the German chemist moved to Austria and independently discovered & refined gas chromatography methods, including “relative retention time,” despite little renown until decades later. #ErikaCremer bio:
When the Nazi gov’t sharply limited women’s opportunities, the German chemist moved to Austria and independently discovered & refined gas chromatography methods, including “relative retention time,” despite little renown until decades later. #ErikaCremer bio:
03:50 PM - May 20, 2024
Happy Birthday, Antoinette Brown Blackwell(1825-1921)! After supporting abolition & women’s rights alongside Frederick Douglass, the 1st US woman ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister left preaching to focus on her research, writing, equality oratory, & 7 kids. #AntoinetteBrownBlackwell bio:
02:25 PM - May 20, 2023
Happy Birthday, Lorraine Hansberry(1930-1965)!
Before dying of pancreatic cancer at 34, the Freedom reporter, publicly closeted lesbian, & author of A Raisin in the Sun & To Be Young, Gifted and Black broke barriers as the 1st African-American woman author of a Broadway play. #LorraineHansberry bio:
Before dying of pancreatic cancer at 34, the Freedom reporter, publicly closeted lesbian, & author of A Raisin in the Sun & To Be Young, Gifted and Black broke barriers as the 1st African-American woman author of a Broadway play. #LorraineHansberry bio:
06:40 PM - May 19, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Ruth Ella Moore(1903-1994)! The microbiology professor (& fashion designer) earned the 1st natural sciences PhD of any African-American woman & taught at Howard for 3 decades while researching subjects like gut biomes, cavities, & blood types in African-Americans. #RuthEllaMoore bio:
11:40 AM - May 19, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Gertrude Käsebier(1852-1934)!
After separating from an unhappy marriage for art school at age 37, she turned to photography, working as a professional photographer for the next 30 yrs while focusing her lens on marginalized women, mothers, & Native Americans.
#GertrudeKäsebier bio:
After separating from an unhappy marriage for art school at age 37, she turned to photography, working as a professional photographer for the next 30 yrs while focusing her lens on marginalized women, mothers, & Native Americans.
#GertrudeKäsebier bio:
07:05 PM - May 18, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Ester Boserup(1910-1999)! The Danish economist ID’d women’s disproportionate economic burdens, while her eponymous theory finally fixed Malthus’ silliness: population growth drives agriculture tech, as “the power of ingenuity would always outmatch that of demand.” #EsterBoserup bio:
11:58 AM - May 18, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Marcia Freedman(1938-2021)!
The US civil rights activist immigrated to Israel & earned election to the Knesset from 1974-77, serving as the 1st (& still only) lesbian MK, opening the 1st women’s shelter in Israel, & campaigning for peace and women’s & gay rights. #MarciaFreedman bio:
The US civil rights activist immigrated to Israel & earned election to the Knesset from 1974-77, serving as the 1st (& still only) lesbian MK, opening the 1st women’s shelter in Israel, & campaigning for peace and women’s & gay rights. #MarciaFreedman bio:
07:46 PM - May 17, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Mary Kenner(1912-2006)! From an African-American family of inventors, some of whom also had their ideas appropriated by others, the DC florist patented the 1st of 5 products of her own by age 18 but never profited from any of them due to persistent discrimination. #MaryKenner bio:
12:30 PM - May 17, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Nancy Roman(1925-2018)!
NASA’s 1st woman executive, 1st Chief of Astronomy, & the “Mother of Hubble” grew NASA’s new space astronomy program into an international collaborative effort, developed NASA’s orbital astronomy program, & even discovered galactic structures. #NancyRoman bio:
NASA’s 1st woman executive, 1st Chief of Astronomy, & the “Mother of Hubble” grew NASA’s new space astronomy program into an international collaborative effort, developed NASA’s orbital astronomy program, & even discovered galactic structures. #NancyRoman bio:
06:22 PM - May 16, 2024
Happy Birthday, Maria Gaetana Agnesi(1718-1799)! The “Seven-Tongue Orator” & Pope-appt’d professor wrote the 1st math handbook by a woman (the 1st ever to discuss both differential & integral calc) before spending 40 years devoted to theological studies & serving the poor. #MariaGaetanaAgnesi bio:
02:15 PM - May 16, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Ida Rhodes(1900-1986)!
The Ukrainian-born US mathematician played a key role in the Mathematical Tables Project before helping develop the UNIVAC C-10 programming language, translational languages, & the 1st SSA programs, plus teaching thousands how to use computers. #IdaRhodes bio:
The Ukrainian-born US mathematician played a key role in the Mathematical Tables Project before helping develop the UNIVAC C-10 programming language, translational languages, & the 1st SSA programs, plus teaching thousands how to use computers. #IdaRhodes bio:
08:24 PM - May 15, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Williamina Fleming(1857-1911)! The cofounder of Harvard (living) Computers helped define stellar categorization through observed H amounts, catalogued 10K+ astral phenomena, & discovered the Horsehead Nebula & 1st white dwarf while juggling single motherhood. #WilliaminaFleming bio:
12:01 PM - May 15, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Charlotte Auerbach(1899-1994)!
In 1935, the Jewish geneticist fled from Germany to Scotland, where her classified studies on the effects of mustard gas began three decades of research, writing, & teaching that rank her among the foremost mutagenic scientists. #CharlotteAuerbach bio:
In 1935, the Jewish geneticist fled from Germany to Scotland, where her classified studies on the effects of mustard gas began three decades of research, writing, & teaching that rank her among the foremost mutagenic scientists. #CharlotteAuerbach bio:
07:35 PM - May 14, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Cai Chang(1900-1990)! The teacher-turned-politician helped run Chinese women’s rights groups & secure the right that “free choice must be the basic principle of every marriage,” even as she later promoted only women of privilege to major scientific & cultural roles. #CaiChang bio:
12:49 PM - May 14, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Antonia Ferrín Moreiras(1914-2009)!
Despite gender restrictions, the 1st female Galician astronomer earned the 1st astronomy PhD of any woman in Spain & taught for decades at the University of Santiago de Comopostela, founded in 1495, the 1st woman to do so.
#AntoniaMoreiras bio:
Despite gender restrictions, the 1st female Galician astronomer earned the 1st astronomy PhD of any woman in Spain & taught for decades at the University of Santiago de Comopostela, founded in 1495, the 1st woman to do so.
#AntoniaMoreiras bio:
08:45 PM - May 13, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Inge Lehmann(1888-1993)! Despite a dozen+ notables born today, Lehmann goes 1st by virtue of realizing the Earth’s inner core is solid, not molten! The Danish seismologist spent 70 years researching & even discovered the Lehmann discontinuity after her “retirement.” #ingelehmann bio:
11:54 AM - May 13, 2023
Happy Birthday, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin(1910-1994)!
The English chemist’s childhood interest carried all the way to a Chemistry Nobel (the 3rd woman to win) for developing X-ray crystallography methods to find biomolecular structures, including penicillin, B12, & even insulin. #DorothyHodgkin bio:
The English chemist’s childhood interest carried all the way to a Chemistry Nobel (the 3rd woman to win) for developing X-ray crystallography methods to find biomolecular structures, including penicillin, B12, & even insulin. #DorothyHodgkin bio:
01:24 PM - May 12, 2024
Happy Birthday, Florence Nightengale(1820-1910)! Among her too-many-to-list accomplishments, the prolific writer founded modern nursing & the 1st secular nursing school while pioneering the use of data analysis & infographics to improve healthcare for all British subjects. #FlorenceNightengale bio:
11:51 AM - May 12, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Martha Graham(1894-1991)!
“The Picasso of Dance” largely created American Modern Dance, emerged as the 1st cross-culturally impactful American dancer, developed the tremendously influential Graham technique style, & kept choreographing right until her death at 96. #MarthaGraham bio:
“The Picasso of Dance” largely created American Modern Dance, emerged as the 1st cross-culturally impactful American dancer, developed the tremendously influential Graham technique style, & kept choreographing right until her death at 96. #MarthaGraham bio:
04:20 PM - May 11, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Jacqueline Cochran(1906-1980)! The 1st woman to break the sound barrier in 1953, the racing pilot ran the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII, sponsored the Mercury 13 women astronaut program, & earned multiple honors as USAF’s probable 1st female pilot. #JacquelineCochran bio:
12:08 PM - May 11, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Birutė Galdikas(1946-)!
Inspired by Goodall & Fossey, the Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist now ranks with her idols as the 3rd of Leakey’s “Trimates” after 53 yrs of field-defining orangutan research, including extensive rehabilitation & preservation efforts.
#BirutėGaldikas bio:
Inspired by Goodall & Fossey, the Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist now ranks with her idols as the 3rd of Leakey’s “Trimates” after 53 yrs of field-defining orangutan research, including extensive rehabilitation & preservation efforts.
#BirutėGaldikas bio:
05:58 PM - May 10, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin(1900-1979)! Male astronomers first dismissed & then coopted her thesis, which proposed that stars are mostly hydrogen & helium and paved her path toward promotion as the first female full professor & department chair at Harvard. #CeciliaPayneGaposchkin bio:
12:00 PM - May 10, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Patricia Swift Blalock(1914-2011)!
The 27-yr Selma-Dallas County Public Library Director led from her social work background, quietly desegregating in May of 1963 by just removing ALL the chairs & netting minimal backlash by virtue of NOT publicizing the change. #PatriciaBlalock bio:
The 27-yr Selma-Dallas County Public Library Director led from her social work background, quietly desegregating in May of 1963 by just removing ALL the chairs & netting minimal backlash by virtue of NOT publicizing the change. #PatriciaBlalock bio:
03:58 PM - May 09, 2024
Happy Birthday, Sophie Scholl(1921-1943)! The German anti-Nazi activist aided her brother’s resistance movement until her execution at 21, when she pleaded, “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when…hardly anyone [will] give himself up individually to a righteous cause?” #SophieScholl bio:
03:18 PM - May 09, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Natalia Molchanova(1962-2015)!
Called “possibly the world’s greatest freediver”, the Russian’s feats would leave you breathless: the 1st woman to pass 100m with weight, 41 world records, 23 gold medals, & a dive to 417’, all after raising 2 kids & turning 40. #NataliaMolchanova bio:
Called “possibly the world’s greatest freediver”, the Russian’s feats would leave you breathless: the 1st woman to pass 100m with weight, 41 world records, 23 gold medals, & a dive to 417’, all after raising 2 kids & turning 40. #NataliaMolchanova bio:
09:01 PM - May 08, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Gerda Weissmann Klein(1924-2022)! After Nazis sent her family to death camps, she wed one of her US rescuers & spent 8 decades telling her story through books, films, & talks, founding Citizenship Counts, & serving on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum board. #GerdaWeissmannKlein bio:
12:56 PM - May 08, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Mary Eliza Mahoney(1845-1926)!
The 1st African-American US nursing school graduate finished in a class of 3 (37 students failed the difficult requirements) to begin a lengthy career as a respected private care nurse, equality activist, & eventual NAGCN co-founder. #MaryEMahoney bio:
The 1st African-American US nursing school graduate finished in a class of 3 (37 students failed the difficult requirements) to begin a lengthy career as a respected private care nurse, equality activist, & eventual NAGCN co-founder. #MaryEMahoney bio:
07:34 PM - May 07, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Dorothy Sunrise Lorentino(1909-2005)! In a forerunner of Brown, the Oklahoma Comanche won a decision to attend public schools and not Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. She taught special ed for 40 years before her induction into the Nat’l Teachers HOF. #DorothySunriseLorentino bio:
12:58 PM - May 07, 2023
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Happy Birthday, Chiaki Mukai(1952-)!
The JAXA astronaut’s 2 shuttle missions made her the 1st Japanese & Asian woman in space, as the cardiovascular surgeon spent 23 days in orbit conducting biomedical research, including the observation of 77yo John Glenn during his final flight. #ChiakiMukai bio:
The JAXA astronaut’s 2 shuttle missions made her the 1st Japanese & Asian woman in space, as the cardiovascular surgeon spent 23 days in orbit conducting biomedical research, including the observation of 77yo John Glenn during his final flight. #ChiakiMukai bio:
08:17 PM - May 06, 2024
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Happy Birthday, Madame Restell(1812-1878)! Ann Trow sold birth control products before self-training as a surgeon to continue her lifelong crusade to improve women’s health options. Her success led NY to criminalize abortion, & she fell victim to the evils of Comstock’s crusade. #MadameRestell bio:
12:06 PM - May 06, 2023
