Amelia Earhart on Women in Flight (2:02)
In a 1935 radio broadcast on "a woman's place in science," Amelia Earhart encourages women to make their mark on the new field of aviation. On June 18, 1928, Earhart became the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
Speeches & Audio (40)
-
Amelia Earhart on Women in Flight
Amelia Earhart on Women in FlightAudio Clip (2:02)
Audio Clip (2:02)
In a 1935 radio broadcast on "a woman's place in science," Amelia Earhart encourages women to make their mark on the new field of aviation. On June 18, 1928, Earhart became the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
-
The First Space Flight by a Woman
The First Space Flight by a WomanAudio Clip (0:32)
Audio Clip (0:32)
Radio Moscow announces the historic flight of the first woman in outer space. On June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova completed 48 orbits of Earth in 71 hours.
-
First American Woman in Space
First American Woman in SpaceAudio Clip (0:50)
Audio Clip (0:50)
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space when the shuttle Challenger takes off on June 18, 1983. The historical moment is noted in communication just after liftoff.
-
Sandra Day O'Connor Discusses Marriage
Sandra Day O'Connor Discusses MarriageAudio Clip (0:34)
Audio Clip (0:34)
Sandra Day O'Connor, who became the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court when she was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, speaks about her views on holy matrimony.
-
Obama Nominates Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court
Obama Nominates Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme CourtAudio Clip (0:56)
Audio Clip (0:56)
On May 26, 2009, President Barack Obama announces his nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. When Sotomayor was sworn in on August 8, she became the first Hispanic justice to serve on the Supreme Court.
-
Roe v. Wade Decision Announced
Roe v. Wade Decision AnnouncedAudio Clip (0:44)
Audio Clip (0:44)
On January 22, 1973, ABC Evening News anchor Howard K. Smith announces the United States Supreme Court's landmark decision in the Roe v. Wade case, which ruled unconstitutional a Texas state law that prohibited abortion.
-
Geraldine Ferraro Joins the Democratic Ticket
Geraldine Ferraro Joins the Democratic TicketAudio Clip (2:13)
Audio Clip (2:13)
After presidential candidate Walter Mondale announced Rep. Geraldine Ferraro as his choice for running mate on July 12, 1984, Ferraro addresses the audience at the Minnesota State Capitol. Ferraro was the first female vice presidential candidate to run on a major ticket.
-
Sarah Palin Accepts Nomination
Sarah Palin Accepts NominationAudio Clip (2:32)
Audio Clip (2:32)
As the first Republican woman to be nominated for the vice presidency, Gov. Sarah Palin addresses criticism of her inexperience by telling her detractors she's not going to Washington to "seek their good opinion" but to "serve the people of this country" in her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on September 4, 2008.
-
Feminists March on 50th Anniversary of 19th Amendment
Feminists March on 50th Anniversary of 19th AmendmentAudio Clip (0:40)
Audio Clip (0:40)
In August 1970, women's rights advocates staged rallies across the nation to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which granted suffrage to women. Participants show their solidarity in a group chant.
-
Bella Abzug on Sexual Equality
Bella Abzug on Sexual EqualityAudio Clip (0:34)
Audio Clip (0:34)
Women's rights advocate Rep. Bella Abzug recounts her conversation with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Emanuel Celler, a strong opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment.
-
Gloria Steinem Addresses the Women of America
Gloria Steinem Addresses the Women of AmericaAudio Clip (0:31)
Audio Clip (0:31)
At the opening conference of the founding of the National Women's Political Caucus on July 10, 1971, feminist activist Gloria Steinem delivers her "Address to the Women of America."
-
Shirley Chisholm Runs for Presidential Nomination
Shirley Chisholm Runs for Presidential NominationAudio Clip (1:30)
Audio Clip (1:30)
During her 1972 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American congresswoman, promises to tell the truth about sex and race.
-
Shirley Chisholm Campaigns for Nomination
Shirley Chisholm Campaigns for NominationAudio Clip (3:24)
Audio Clip (3:24)
While seeking the candidacy for president of the United States in 1972, Shirley Chisholm campaigns hard, speaking to crowds across the country about her beliefs in equality for women and minorities. In 1968, Chisholm became the first African-American congresswoman.
-
Barbara Jordan's Keynote Address
Barbara Jordan's Keynote AddressAudio Clip (2:12)
Audio Clip (2:12)
An excerpt from Barbara Jordan's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convection. Jordan was the first African-American woman ever elected to Congress from a southern state.
-
Barbara Jordan Delivers Keynote Address
Barbara Jordan Delivers Keynote AddressAudio Clip (3:20)
Audio Clip (3:20)
In July 1976, as the first African-American to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, Rep. Barbara Charline Jordan speaks about a solution to the problems facing America.
-
Harold L. Ickes Introduces Marian Anderson at Lincoln Memorial
Harold L. Ickes Introduces Marian Anderson at Lincoln MemorialAudio Clip (5:16)
Audio Clip (5:16)
Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes stresses racial equality in his introduction of African-American singer Marian Anderson, who performs a concert on April 9, 1939, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
-
Fannie Lou Hamer on Roots of Her Activism
Fannie Lou Hamer on Roots of Her ActivismAudio Clip (0:40)
Audio Clip (0:40)
Fannie Lou Hamer, who worked as a field organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to expand black voter registration, discusses her awakening to racial injustice.
-
Anita Hill Accuses Clarence Thomas
Anita Hill Accuses Clarence ThomasAudio Clip (4:32)
Audio Clip (4:32)
In October 1991, while the Senate Judiciary Committee was deliberating over the final vote on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill stepped forward with accusations of sexual harassment against Thomas. As a result, the committee held three days of investigative hearings. In her nationally televised and broadcast statement, Hill testifies about the alleged harassment.
-
Clarence Thomas Refutes Anita Hill's Charges
Clarence Thomas Refutes Anita Hill's ChargesAudio Clip (3:22)
Audio Clip (3:22)
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas' confirmation hearings took a dramatic turn when he was accused of sexual harassment. In his opening statement on October 11, 1991, Thomas denies the charges brought against him by law professor Anita Hill, who claimed Thomas had sexually harassed her when she worked for him at the U.S. Department of Education.
-
Nancy Reagan Introduces "Just Say No" Campaign
Nancy Reagan Introduces "Just Say No" CampaignAudio Clip (0:39)
Audio Clip (0:39)
In a nationally broadcast message to the American people on September 14, 1986, first lady Nancy Reagan joins President Ronald Reagan to kick off her "Just Say No" campaign, an effort to raise drug abuse awareness.
-
First Lady Betty Ford Delivers President Ford's Concession
First Lady Betty Ford Delivers President Ford's ConcessionAudio Clip (0:58)
Audio Clip (0:58)
In November 1976, President Gerald Ford was defeated in his re-election campaign by challenger Jimmy Carter. Because Ford was hoarse from campaigning, First Lady Betty Ford speaks on his behalf, informing the nation that the president officially conceded and offered his congratulations to the new president-elect.
-
Laura Bush on Myanmar Cyclone
Laura Bush on Myanmar CycloneAudio Clip (0:59)
Audio Clip (0:59)
On May 3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, causing major damage and a massive death toll. Speaking from the White House on May 5 in her first press conference, first lady Laura Bush criticizes the country’s military government for failure to warn its citizens of the impending storm.
-
Lady Bird Johnson Critiques the President
Lady Bird Johnson Critiques the PresidentAudio Clip (2:30)
Audio Clip (2:30)
President Lyndon B. Johnson holds a press conference on March 7, 1964, and takes questions on a range of topics, from the pending civil rights bill to the war in Vietnam. Afterward, in a recorded conversation with the president, Lady Bird Johnson evaluates her husband’s performance and awards him a “B+.”
-
Eleanor Roosevelt Commemorates World Children’s Day
Eleanor Roosevelt Commemorates World Children’s DayAudio Clip (0:58)
Audio Clip (0:58)
"First Lady of the World" Eleanor Roosevelt reads a statement regarding child welfare in honor of World Children’s Day, which was first celebrated one year earlier on October 4, 1953.
-
Germaine Greer on Female Psychology
Germaine Greer on Female PsychologyAudio Clip (0:46)
Audio Clip (0:46)
Australian-born feminist writer Germaine Greer, whose pivotal book "The Female Eunuch" was published in 1970, analyzes women's drive for physical perfection.
-
Indira Gandhi on the Crisis in East Pakistan
Indira Gandhi on the Crisis in East PakistanAudio Clip (1:13)
Audio Clip (1:13)
India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi, talks about how best to deal with a changing world.
-
"A Raisin in the Sun" Depicts Black Life
"A Raisin in the Sun" Depicts Black LifeAudio Clip (1:04)
Audio Clip (1:04)
African-American playwright Lorraine Hansberry offers insight into the meaning of her first play, "A Raisin in the Sun," which opened on Broadway in 1959 to great critical acclaim.
-
Josephine Baker Confronts Racist
Josephine Baker Confronts RacistAudio Clip (1:03)
Audio Clip (1:03)
A Los Angeles news report explains how the African-American dancer Josephine Baker took a stand against racism by making a citizen's arrest.
-
Madame Chiang Kai-Shek Addresses Congress
Madame Chiang Kai-Shek Addresses CongressAudio Clip (3:41)
Audio Clip (3:41)
On February 18, 1943, China's first lady, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, delivers a speech before the House and the Senate appealing to the U.S. Congress to provide aid for the Nationalists in their struggle against Japan and the Chinese Communists.
-
Patty Hearst Speaks During Captivity
Patty Hearst Speaks During CaptivityAudio Clip (1:29)
Audio Clip (1:29)
On February 12, 1974, eight days after the abduction of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst, California's KPFA radio played an audiotape sent by the Symbionese Liberation Army, the radical militants responsible for the kidnapping.
-
Mae West on Men, Women and Diamonds
Mae West on Men, Women and DiamondsAudio Clip (2:06)
Audio Clip (2:06)
In an interview a couple of hours before Mae West made her return to Broadway in a 1949 performance of "Diamond Lil," she regales her interviewer with the kind of bawdy language she was famous for.
-
Jane Goodall on chimpanzee aggression
Jane Goodall on chimpanzee aggressionAudio Clip (1:39)
Audio Clip (1:39)
Chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall extrapolates from her primate studies to draw comparisons between chimp and human behavior.
-
Margaret Mead Speaks at First Earth Day
Margaret Mead Speaks at First Earth DayAudio Clip (0:42)
Audio Clip (0:42)
On April 22, 1970, noted anthropologist and outspoken environmentalist Margaret Mead inaugurates the first Earth Day, an event to increase public awareness of the world's environmental problems.
-
Death of Marilyn Monroe
Death of Marilyn MonroeAudio Clip (0:22)
Audio Clip (0:22)
In an August 18, 1962, press conference, the Los Angeles County medical examiner pronounces "probable suicide" as the cause of death of screen star Marilyn Monroe, who died of a drug overdose on August 5 at the age of 36.
-
Marilyn Monroe on Fame
Marilyn Monroe on FameAudio Clip (0:59)
Audio Clip (0:59)
Born Norma Jean Mortenson in 1926, Marilyn Monroe is interviewed about the effects of stardom on her life.
-
Althea Gibson Wins U.S. Tennis Championship
Althea Gibson Wins U.S. Tennis ChampionshipAudio Clip (0:59)
Audio Clip (0:59)
Live coverage at Wimbledon in 1957 captures Althea Gibson's victory. Gibson was the first African-American woman to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals.
-
Riggs on Battle of the Sexes
Riggs on Battle of the SexesAudio Clip (0:10)
Audio Clip (0:10)
After challenging Billie Jean King to a "battle of the sexes" match, former Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs brags about the supposed superiority of the male athlete. On September 20, 1973, King humbled Riggs by winning three straight sets.
-
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth IIAudio Clip (0:23)
Audio Clip (0:23)
Princess Elizabeth is formally crowned queen of the United Kingdom in a live broadcast of the royal coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953.
-
English Princesses Address British Children During World War II
English Princesses Address British Children During World War IIAudio Clip (0:42)
Audio Clip (0:42)
In a radio address on October 13, 1940, the young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret offer words of courage to British children who had been evacuated from Great Britain while their country was at war.
-
Barbara Washburn on Climbing Mount McKinley
Barbara Washburn on Climbing Mount McKinleyAudio Clip (0:27)
Audio Clip (0:27)
In 1947, Barbara Washburn, an explorer and cartographer, became the first woman to scale the summit of Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America. Washburn comments on the vast emptiness of the Alaskan range.
Videos (23)
-
Women During the Civil War
Women During the Civil WarVideo Clip (13:13)
Video Clip (13:13)
Historians discuss the diverse roles women played in the American Civil War.
-
Women in Politics
Women in PoliticsVideo Clip (3:11)
Video Clip (3:11)
From Sandra Day O'Connor to Shirley Chisholm to Madeleine Albright, these groundbreaking American women paved the way.
-
Women in the Cockpit
Women in the CockpitVideo Clip (3:52)
Video Clip (3:52)
Dawn Letson befriended a World War II veteran who was a member of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program, and shares her films from WASP training camp.
-
Women of Music
Women of MusicVideo Clip (1:28)
Video Clip (1:28)
Get the unexpected stories behind some of the most famous women in the world of popular music.
-
Women of Science
Women of ScienceVideo Clip (1:19)
Video Clip (1:19)
Did you know a woman invented Liquid paper? Find out more about women's contributions to science and technology.
-
Pocahontas
PocahontasVideo Clip (3:00)
Video Clip (3:00)
Learn the epic story of the famous Native American king's daughter as told by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis.
-
Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
Women's Army Auxiliary CorpsVideo Clip (3:13)
Video Clip (3:13)
May 14, 1943, marked the first anniversary of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). The Women's Army Corps, a U.S. army organization created during World War II to enlist women as auxiliaries for noncombatant duty in the U.S. army. Before 1943 it was known as the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. Its first director was Oveta Culp Hobby. During World War II, WACs served as medical technicians, cartography clerks, secretaries, and the like in the United States and in all the theaters of war. Almost 100,000 had joined the WAC by 1945. Enlistment ended with the war's end, and rapid demobilization followed. But by 1946 the War Department asked for reenlistments to meet shortages in army hospitals and personnel centers. In 1948 a bill was passed by Congress formally establishing the WAC within the regular army. The WAC was dissolved in 1978.
-
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman and the Underground RailroadVideo Clip (3:07)
Video Clip (3:07)
Born a slave, Harriett Tubman became a famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.
-
Christina Kirk: Susan B. Anthony
Christina Kirk: Susan B. AnthonyVideo Clip (2:07)
Video Clip (2:07)
Actors Christina Kirk and Josh Brolin perform the speeches made at Susan B. Anthony's suffrage trial.
-
Characteristics of Early Factory Girls
Characteristics of Early Factory GirlsVideo Clip (2:04)
Video Clip (2:04)
Marissa Tomei performs the words of a young factory girl preparing to strike.
-
Sylvia Woods Fight for Freedom
Sylvia Woods Fight for FreedomVideo Clip (2:01)
Video Clip (2:01)
Sylvia Woods, a pioneer in the struggle of African-American and women trade unionists, describes her first experiences speaking out against racism. Performed by Jasmine Guy.
-
Yolanda Huet-Vaughn Refuses to Fight
Yolanda Huet-Vaughn Refuses to FightVideo Clip (2:29)
Video Clip (2:29)
Rosario Dawson reads the words of a mother refusing to fight in the Gulf War.
-
Goldman on Patriotism
Goldman on PatriotismVideo Clip (2:05)
Video Clip (2:05)
Actress Sandra Oh reads Emma Goldman's view on patriotism in America.
-
Ain't I a Woman?
Ain't I a Woman?Video Clip (2:58)
Video Clip (2:58)
Kerry Washington performs a speech by abolitionist and former slave, Sojourner Truth. Introduction by Viggo Mortensen.
-
Marian Wright Edelman's Commencement Address
Marian Wright Edelman's Commencement AddressVideo Clip (2:12)
Video Clip (2:12)
Actress Jasmine Guy brings to life activist Marian Wright Edelman's commencement address at Milton Academy in Milton, MA.
-
1930s GM Sit-Down Strike
1930s GM Sit-Down StrikeVideo Clip (3:44)
Video Clip (3:44)
Marissa Tomei performs the words of a General Motors employee during a 1930s labor strike.
-
Coroner's Report: Cleopatra
Coroner's Report: CleopatraVideo Clip (2:34)
Video Clip (2:34)
Legend has it that Cleopatra took her own life by succumbing willingly to the bite of a cobra. If this story is true, was suicide by snake venom an easy way to go, or did the last Egyptian pharaoh die in excruciating pain?
-
Barbara Jordan's Keynote Address
Barbara Jordan's Keynote AddressVideo Clip (2:12)
Video Clip (2:12)
An excerpt from Barbara Jordan's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convection. Jordan was the first African-American woman ever elected to Congress from a southern state.
-
Hillary Makes History
Hillary Makes HistoryVideo Clip (3:40)
Video Clip (3:40)
On Path to the Podium, we hear about Hillary Clinton's life. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Wellesley College. While there she was an active Republican, but that changed after the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.
-
Jackie Kennedy: Queen of Camelot
Jackie Kennedy: Queen of CamelotVideo Clip (2:42)
Video Clip (2:42)
Jackie Kennedy epitomized the youth and glamour of the Kennedy family.
-
Women of War
Women of WarVideo Clip (1:38)
Video Clip (1:38)
Find out the surprising stories of the unexpected ways women have served their countries in times of war.
-
First Ladies
First LadiesVideo Clip (1:50)
Video Clip (1:50)
These U.S. first ladies made their mark during their stays at the White House.
-
Meet Madam CJ Walker
Meet Madam CJ WalkerVideo Clip (1:49)
Video Clip (1:49)
From her rough beginnings as an orphan, Madam CJ Walker went on to corner the market in black women's hair care and became the first self-made female millionaire.
Photo Galleries (10)
-
Women Leaders
Women Leaders(14 Photos)
14 Photos
Women who became trailblazers in the field of politics and leadership.
-
Women in Sports
Women in Sports(14 Photos)
14 Photos
Great women in sports history.
-
Women in Science and Health
Women in Science and Health(15 Photos)
15 Photos
See important genius women in history.
-
Women Factory Workers of World War II
Women Factory Workers of World War II(10 Photos)
10 Photos
During World War II, American women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers. The munitions industry heavily recruited women workers, as represented by the U.S. government's "Rosie the Riveter" propaganda campaign.
-
Suffrage and the Women Behind It
Suffrage and the Women Behind It(7 Photos)
7 Photos
In 1920, American women voted for the first time, thanks to pro-suffrage activists such as Lucy Stone, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
-
Black Women Musicians
Black Women Musicians(20 Photos)
20 Photos
View images of famous female African American singers and musicians.
-
Black Women in Politics
Black Women in Politics(10 Photos)
10 Photos
View images of famous female African American politicians and activists.
-
Black Women Authors
Black Women Authors(11 Photos)
11 Photos
View images of famous female African American authors.
-
Black Women Athletes
Black Women Athletes(16 Photos)
16 Photos
View images of famous female African American athletes.
-
American Women in Entertainment, Literature and the Arts
American Women in Entertainment, Literature and the Arts(16 Photos)
16 Photos
View famous American women in entertainment, literature and the arts.
Interactives (1)
-
Ultimate History Quiz
Ultimate History QuizInteractive
Most Popular Videos on History.com
-
America Divided
(3:54)
-
Caroline Dries: NYU Dorm
(3:26)
Newest Videos on History.com
-
Vietnam in HD Preview
(2:00)
-
Two For the Road
(1:48)
-
HISTORY says Thanks
(2:47)
Read More about Women's History
The achievements of women throughout history have been integral to the flourishing of humanity.
GoRelated Shows
-
America The Story of Us
America The Story of Us is an epic 12-hour television event that tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented.
Shop HISTORY
-
Larry the Cable Guy Bobblehead
Own the official Larry Bobblehead and GIT-R-DONE!
-
-
Swamp People Troy Mask
Want the ultimate Big Head? The Swamp People Troy Mask is for Cajuns and Cajuns at heart.
$44.99
Buy Now
Email Updates
Keep up with the latest History shows, online features, special offers and more.
Sign up
