Portrait of Barbara Jordan (1986-05-07) by LBJ-POSTPRES, Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, U.S. National ArchivesU.S. National Archives
Queer women (and women in general) have often been overlooked, forgotten, and written out of history. However, their pioneering achievements speak for themselves and deserve a place in the school books. Let's discover the stories of four women who have impacted our world.
Selma Lagerlöf and her mother at their home Maarbacka (1911)Mundaneum
Selma Lagerlöf
Born in 1858, Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf was the first woman ever to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. She published her first novel Gösta Berling's Saga at the age of 33 and went on to write many more critically acclaimed novels and literary works.
In 1914, Lagerlöf was also the first woman to be granted a membership to the Swedish Academy. This was the body that chose the laureates for the annual Nobel Prize in Literature, with Selma leading the way for more women to get a seat at the table.
Billie Holiday - Strange FruitThe National Jazz Museum in Harlem
Billie Holiday
You've probably heard of legendary American Jazz singer Billie Holiday, born in 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As she rose to fame in the 1930s, her unique style reinvented the conventions of modern singing and performance.
Billie Holiday (1948) by William P. Gottlieb / Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of CongressCarnegie Hall
Holiday was openly bisexual throughout her life and championed LGBTQ+ causes. Today she is known for her undeniable talent and timeless songs, becoming a musical icon.
8c Emily Dickinson stamp (1971-08-28)Smithsonian's National Postal Museum
Emily Dickinson
Dickinson wrote a large number of beautiful, melancholy poems during her life. However, it wasn’t until after her death in 1886 that her archive was discovered and the bulk of her work published.
Portrait of Emily Dickinson (1958-09) by Candido PortinariProjeto Portinari
Dickinson has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. With her unique style, her writing pushed the boundaries of poetry with short lines, slant rhyme, and unconventional punctuation.
Barbara Jordan (1976-10-18) by LBJ-POSTPRES, Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, U.S. National ArchivesU.S. National Archives
Barbara Jordan
Jordan has a impressive CV that broke barriers: the first woman to serve in the Texas House of Representatives; the first post-reconstruction African American State Senator; and the first Black woman to keynote the Democratic National Convention.
President Gerald R. Ford and Representative Barbara Jordan (1975-08-06) by White House Photographic Office, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, U.S. National ArchivesU.S. National Archives
Jordan is also known for her work as chair of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. After her death in 1996, she also become the first Black woman to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery.
85199 (1970-09) by John OlsonLIFE Photo Collection
Learn more about pioneering women in culture.
