Women’s History Month: 7 Women’s Firsts You May Not Know

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

March 1st, 2021 8:00 AM

So many women have helped pave the way for all of us that sometimes you may miss learning about a historical milestone and other notable firsts here and there.

In honor of Women’s History Month, here are seven women’s first you may not know.

• Victoria Claflin Woodhull

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  This term wasn't coined back in the 1800s, but simply put, Victoria Claflin Woodhull was a boss. Not only was Woodhull the first woman to run for President of the United States from a nationally recognized ticket, she and her sister, Tennessee Claflin, were also one of the first female stock brokers on Wall Street as the cofounder of the brokerage firm Woodhull, Claflin and Company in 1870.

• Junko Tabei

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  When it comes to mountaineering, few women are as influential as Junko Tabei. Tabei was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and was the first woman to successfully climb the Seven Summits, which is the collective name of the highest mountains in Earth's seven continents.

• Aretha Franklin

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  The Queen of Soul has earned countless accolades in her incredible career, but one notable first is being the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 1987 induction class.
• Jacqueline Cochran

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  When it comes to aviation, many people know about Amelia Earhart, but may not know about Jacqueline Cochran. Cochran not only was the first woman to break the sound barrier, she also hold the most speed and distance records of any aviator in history. Pictured is one of the monoplanes in which she flew in an England to Australia air race in 1934.

• Valentina Tereshkova

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  Twenty years before Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in space, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova piloted Vostok 6, which orbited the Earth 48 times, and became the first woman in space. She was only 26.

• Charlotte Cooper

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  Charlotte Cooper was one of tennis' earlier female pioneers winning five singles titles, but she also has the distinction of being the first woman to win an individual Olympic Gold Medal during the 1900 summer games.
• Kathryn Bigelow

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  There have been 92 Academy Awards ceremonies, but in its history, there's only been one woman to win the Oscar for Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow took home the prestigious honor at the 82nd Academy Awards for directing 'The Hurt Locker.'

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Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

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• K104.7

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Women's History Month