The commerce of slavery was deeply integrated into the Massachusetts economy in the 18th century. Many white colonists, including Colonel John Ashley, who owned Ashley House and the surrounding fields in the 1700s, used enslaved laborers.

Discover how Mary Edwards Walker became the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor for her Civil War service as a pioneering surgeon.

From archery records to equestrian excellence, these athletes redefined what women could accomplish in sports. Many became the first to enter male-dominated competitions or set records that eclipsed men's achievements.

Discover the life of Marie Curie, the groundbreaking scientist who discovered polonium and radium, coined the term radioactivity, and became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.

Discover the story of Henrietta Lacks, the woman whose immortal HeLa cells revolutionized medicine. Learn about her life, legacy, and the ethical debates her story continues to inspire.

Discover the life of Florence Nightingale, the pioneering nurse and reformer who transformed modern healthcare, reduced wartime mortality, and founded the first professional nursing school.

Joan of Arc was on a mission from God, during her siege of Orleans. However, nothing could have prepared Joan for being captured and sold out to the English. As Bishop Pierre Cauchon was determined to prove the inaccuracy of her visions and her motivation...

Meta Warrick Fuller was a black female artist who specialized in sculpture. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1877, her career peaked during America’s Gilded Age, a time when more women were trained as artists than ever before. She attended the Pennsy...

As a kid, you’ve definitely heard about famous inventions like the light bulb, the telephone, and the television.

Brandy Rayana Norwood, better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, heavy voice-layering, and intricate riffs, whic...

Monica Denise Brown (née Arnold), known simply as Monica, was born on October 24, 1980, in Atlanta. Her parents are M.C. "Billy" Arnold Jr. and Marilyn Best. She has a younger brother, Montez, one paternal half-brother, and two maternal half-brothers. Her...

Hailed as Britain's "best ever pop singer" by Rolling Stone, the English-born Dusty Springfield charted several 1960s hits, including "Son of a Preacher Man."

In honor of Women’s History Month, this playlist presents songs from the Smithsonian Folkways catalog featuring recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship. This award, the country’s highest distinction in folk and trad...

Maggie Lena Walker was grand secretary of the Independent Order of St. Luke, an organization dedicated to the social and financial advancement of African Americans.

Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was an American folk and blues musician. She was a self-taught left-handed guitarist who played a guitar strung for a right-handed player, but played it upside down. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her...