Teaching through Big Bird: The Woman behind Sesame Street
As a young woman, 1984 AAUW Achievement Awardee Joan Ganz Cooney never imagined she’d become a successful television producer and creator of one of the most influential American children’s shows of all time. But her dedication to and passion for providing education to young people from all backgrounds spurred a beloved TV show and built a legacy of programming for children that continues to provide quality educational television around the world. Read more »
She Was Told to Stop Caring So Much for Her Students — So She Started Her Own School
Marva Collins was told by a principal to “stop worrying” about and “expecting too much” from the children she taught. She decided to ignore that advice. Read more »
She Could Design a Bridge for This Gap…if You’d Let Her
For as long as there have been engineers, there has been a gender gap in engineering (probably). Women’s struggle to break into the male-dominated profession is nothing new, but it is real, and it hurts us all. Read more »
Blazing Trails on the Stock Market Floor: Julia Montgomery Walsh
Although women have made tremendous strides in the financial world, it’s still largely male dominated. However, more than 50 years ago, one AAUW member broke through barriers for women right on the floor of the stock exchange. Read more »
The Achievement Award Series: Gwendolen Carter
Carter helped to pioneer the first African studies program in the United States at Northwestern University in 1948. Today, this field of study has evolved from being active on just one campus to being a thriving program that’s offered at more than 300 colleges and universities across the country. Read more »
5 Black Women Founders and Inventors You Should Know
African American women have founded various organizations, they’ve been the masterminds behind innovative products, and they’ve paved the way for new generations’ thought leaders. Meet five of these champions of change who have solved medical mysteries, fought poverty, served on congressional committees, and helped lead the movements against racism, sexism, and class barriers. Read more »
We’re Ringing the Bell for Gender Equity
By ringing the New York Stock Exchange opening bell, AAUW is becoming part of a longstanding tradition considered to be a high honor and mark of achievement. Read more »
Muslim Feminism in History: Halidé Edib Adivar
Halidé Edib Adivar (1884–1964) was a Turkish novelist, feminist, and advocate for women’s rights who wore many hats during her lifetime. She was best known around the world for her writing, in which she criticized the lack of rights of Turkish women. Read more »
You Might Not Know These Remarkable Women, but You Should
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating some remarkable women you might not know about but should. From the halls of Congress to the U.N. to movie theaters, these women are blazing trails and empowering women and girls everywhere. Read more »
