Before Althea Gibson, There Was Ora Washington
The sports legend did more on two courts than most ever do on one.
Badass Women of History
Featured Picks
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The Badass Rogue Who Cross-Dressed and Dueled Her Way to Infamy
Was Julie d’Aubigny even her real name? Don’t ask too many questions.
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She Broke the Gender Barrier … in Billiards
Japanese sharpshooter Masako Katsura was a trailblazer of the pool halls in the 1950s.
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The Ruthless Conquerer Who Cross-Dressed Her Way to Infamy
Catalina de Erauso wore her armor proudly — until she had to take it off to save her life.
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The Noblewoman Who Tried to Poison the Pope
Caterina Sforza, warrior noblewoman extraordinaire, did just that.
THE BEST OF THE REST
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Before Althea Gibson, There Was Ora Washington
The sports legend did more on two courts than most ever do on one.
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How a Woman Saved Portugal’s Wine Industry
Dona Antónia didn't mess around when it came to port.
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Was Albert Einstein a Terrible Husband?
Fans of his wife, a physicist herself, are still struggling to get her contributions recognized.
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The Forgotten Pioneer of Lebanese Feminism
Anbara Salam Khalidi's brave gesture to remove her veil in public paved the way for feminists across the Levant and wider Arab world.
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The Badass Rogue Who Cross-Dressed and Dueled Her Way to Infamy
Was Julie d’Aubigny even her real name? Don’t ask too many questions.
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The Beauty Entrepreneur Who Built a Lasting Legacy
Long before C.J. Walker made her fortune, Annie Malone became a self-made millionaire and revolutionized the Black beauty industry.
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This American Maverick Ruled the Lesbian Literary Scene of Paris
Poet Natalie Clifford Barney became a champion of gay rights, simply by refusing to follow the rules.
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She Broke the Gender Barrier … in Billiards
Japanese sharpshooter Masako Katsura was a trailblazer of the pool halls in the 1950s.
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How a Slave Girl Became an Ottoman Queen
Roxelana — aka Hurrem Sultan — burst through the Muslim empire’s glass ceiling.
