Through the years, women have achieved the unthinkable, re-shaping history and molding the world into one that worked in their favor.
Women’s place in history as achievers dates back several centuries. Many outstanding women sprung up across generations to perform unimaginable feats that helped change the course of history and ultimately, the world.
Recognizing these remarkable women, and their immense contributions, the world set aside March 8, to celebrate these beautiful, fiercely courageous, yet delicate beings, without whom the globe may never have known continuum.
International Women’s Day is a day dedicated to the celebration of women’s achievement in social, political, and cultural aspects of life. It also creates awareness about women’s rights and gender equality in the world today.
This global celebration, established over a century ago, avails the world an opportunity to reflect on how far women have come since their days of being voiceless. Hence, it represents an important turning point in the history of women.
Ahead of International Women’s Day 2021, here are 10 remarkable women who changed history for good.
1. CLEOPATRA
Cleopatra goes down in history as the legendary Egyptian Pharoah who brought great men like Caesar and Antonio to their knees with her beauty.
She rose to power in an era commanded by men, and easily proved herself a worthy contender with her charm, wits, and intellect.
Although her life was mysteriously cut short in 30 BC, the legend of Cleopatra went a long way in showing how powerful a woman could be, and how much she could achieve through fierce determination and strategizing in a world of men.
2. ROSA PARKS
This courageous icon, Rosa Parks changed history in more ways than one with her desire for freedom. Her refusal to give up her seat for a white folk in the colored segment of a bus, in December 1955 set the stage for the civil rights movement.
That sole act, as well as her continuous fight for freedom and an end to racial discrimination, made her be recognized today, as the patroness of resistance.
3. AMELIA EARHART
The legendary female aviator, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean. She kept up her record-breaking feats in aviation until she disappeared across the Pacific Ocean in 1937, never to be seen again.
4. VALENTINA TERESHKOVA
A former textile worker from the Soviet Union, Valentina Tereshkova had dreams of someday flying in space. She achieved those dreams in 1963, becoming the first woman in space at just twenty-six.
Tereshkova orbited the earth 48 times, the most orbits anyone ever completed before her. Remarkably, her orbits superseded the previous four American Astronauts to achieve that feat, beating their combined total of 36.
5. MALALA YOUSAFZI
Known for her struggle to promote female education, Malala Yousafzi easily became one of the most famous school girls in the world. At eleven, the legend composed an anonymous diary about living through hell under the group of extremists known as the Taliban in north-west Pakistan.
The diary went viral. Several people became touched by her utmost desire to receive an education despite efforts by the Taliban to ban female education. This spurred a movement to oppose the extremist group, with various world powers intervening.
As expected, the group was opposed to her antics. In 2012, Taliban soldiers shot the then-teenager, but luckily, she survived the attempt on her life. The appalling move by the group drove more sympathizers to her course.
At fourteen, she won the Nobel Prize for Peace, making her the youngest person ever to receive the honors.
6. COCO CHANEL
Arguably the most influential fashionista to ever walk this earth, Coco Chanel deserves to be tagged the goddess of fashion. With her poise, creativity, hard work, and determination, this iconic beauty changed the world of fashion forever.
From her birth in 1883, Chanel always had eyes for fashion. Therefore, she taught herself to sew from the cradle, and nursed the talent until the grand opening of her shop in the 1900s. The fashion legend began with hats, then graduated to clothing pieces, and eventually launched her first perfume collection.
Today, the Chanel brand remains the leading brand worldwide, several decades after her death.
7. QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, born in 1926, inherited the mantle of leadership from her late father at the age of 25. Sitting on the British throne for nearly seven decades, the British Monarch has achieved several feats, knighted tons of noblemen, lived through a dozen Prime Ministers, and made several game-changing decisions.
All these highlights helped shape England, the Commonwealth, and the world at large into what they are today. Now in her 90s, Her Majesty continues to reign in wisdom.
8. MARIE CURIE
Born in 1867, Marie Curie was a French-polish physicist known for her work in radioactivity. Due to her outstanding feats, she became the first woman to win a Nobel prize, and to date, remains the only female in history to snag the honors twice.
9. JANE AUSTEN
Known for her eye-opening literary works, most notably, her six major novels, Jane Austen created a new perspective that prevails in the world today. Many believe the icon as the first modern-era feminist, owing to her exploration of female assertiveness in her books.
Most of her plots centered on a woman’s social standing, economic security, and marriage, including her legendary bestseller, “Pride And Prejudice.”
10. MARGARET THATCHER
Margaret Thatcher began her political aspirations at Oxford University, at a time when the world frowned against women in politics. However, this outstanding woman remained dauntless and eventually became the first female Prime Minister in Great Britain in 1979.
Her election came about 61 years after women in the U.K earned the leverage to vote.
Through their record-breaking feats, these female achievers bought a place in the world for the next generation of women to walk the earth several centuries after them.
