Women

Women have played a major role in the development and evolution of Ohio. They have contributed immensely to the survival of their families and their people. This was evident with native women and continued to be so as the first white women arrived in what would be Ohio during the 1770s.

White women faced many challenges in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. They and their families lived in primitive conditions until land could be cleared and a cabin built. Having left friends and family behind in the East, many women faced homesickness and isolation. As Ohio developed during the nineteenth century, women made enormous contributions to life in the state. They contributed to the family's economic well-being by making much of what the family needed to survive. In addition to taking care of the home and raising children, women provided medical care, raised livestock, grew vegetable gardens to supplement the family's diet, made butter, candles, and soap, preserved food for the winter months, and made their family's clothing, often from cloth that they wove themselves.

Women also made significant contributions to their communities. In particular, women were influential in developing churches and schools, believing that these institutions had a civilizing effect on society. Women also played an important role in reforming the wild frontier. They organized various reform movements, such as temperance associations, to try to instill good moral values in their fellow Ohioans. They also played important roles in other reform movements, including abolition and prison reform.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, women continued to care for their families. Women increasingly found employment in Ohio factories. They continued to contribute to cultural developments in the state, especially in the arts, in reform movements, and in education. During the twentieth century, women's contributions during World War I and World War II inspired many men and women to demand equal rights with men. While people still debate whether Americans of all genders enjoy true equality with each other, it remains indisputable that dramatic improvements have occurred in both the United States of America and in Ohio over the past two centuries since Ohio's statehood.

To learn more about the important contributions of women to Ohio's history, please browse these entries at your leisure.

There are 202 entries matching this topic. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

Allen, Florence E.: Florence Ellinwood Allen was the first woman to serve as a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court. . . .
Alma College: Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Austin, Elsie: Elsie Austin was an attorney and the first African American woman to receive a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. . . .
Baldwin-Wallace College: Originally named Baldwin College, this institution of higher learning was founded in 1845 by John Baldwin. The college is located in Berea, Ohio. . . .
Bickerdyke, Mary Ann: Mary Ann (Ball) Bickerdyke was a nurse and health care provider to the Union Army during the American Civil War. . . .
Bisbee, Elizabeth: Elizabeth Bisbee was an early women's rights activist in Ohio. She established a newspaper, the Alliance, in Columbus before the American Civil War. . . .
Bloomer, Amelia J.: Amelia Jenks Bloomer was a prominent women's rights advocate during the nineteenth century. . . .
Bolton, Frances P.: Francis Bolton was the first woman from Ohio elected to the United States House of Representatives. . . .
Borromeo College of Ohio: In 1886, the Society of Jesus established St. Ignatius College in Cleveland, Ohio. Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus, an order within the Roman Catholic Church. . . .
Bosler, Anna F.: Anna F. Bosler was the first woman sheriff in Ohio. . . .
Breisch, Ernestine E.: Ernestine Elma (Breisch) Powell was born on February 16, 1906, in Moundsville, West Virginia. Soon after Breisch's birth, her family moved to Bloomsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1910, the Breisch family relocated to Martins Ferry, Ohio. . . .
Brown, Hallie Q.: Hallie Quinn Brown was an African-American author, educator, and equal rights advocate during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Brown, Katherine K.: Katherine Brown was a prominent Ohio Republican politician who served as advisor to John Bricker, James Rhodes, and Robert Taft. . . .
Brown, Olympia: Olympia Brown was a woman's rights advocate during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. . . .
Campana, Mary Ann: In 1933, Campana set a world's record for remaining airborne the longest in a light airplane. She remained airborne for almost twelve and a half continuous hours, demonstrating that women could be skilled pilots. . . .
Campbell, Mary: During the French and Indian War (1756-1763) the Delaware Indians captured Mary Campbell. . . .
Cary, Alice: Alice and Phoebe Cary were sisters. Both became well known American poets during the middle of the nineteenth century. . . .
Cary, Phoebe: Alice and Phoebe Cary were sisters. Both became well known American poets during the middle of the nineteenth century. . . .
Christy, Howard C.: Howard Chandler Christy was a prominent American artist in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. . . .
Cincinnati Ladyhawks: The Cincinnati Ladyhawks is a women’s professional soccer team from Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Cincinnati Leopards: The Cincinnati Leopards was a women’s professional soccer team from Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Cincinnati Sizzle: The Cincinnati Sizzle is a women’s professional football team from Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Cincinnati Women's Christian Association: The Cincinnati Women's Christian Association was a precursor to the Young Women's Christian Association. Founded in 1868, the Women's Christian Association hoped to instruct young, single women in "temporal, moral, and religious welfare." . . .
Cleveland Brewers: The Cleveland Brewers was a professional football team, consisting of women players. It is unclear when the team came into existence, but it might have been as early as 1966. . . .
Cleveland Eclipse: The Cleveland Eclipse was a women’s professional soccer team from Cleveland, Ohio. The Eclipse originally played in the Central Region of the United States Inter-Regional Women’s League. . . .
Cleveland Fusion: The Cleveland Fusion is a women’s professional football team from Cleveland, Ohio. The squad plays in the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA). . . .
Cleveland Internationals (United States Women's Soccer League): The Cleveland Internationals is a women’s amateur soccer team from Cleveland, Ohio. . . .
Cleveland Rockers: The Cleveland Rockers was one of the original eight teams comprising the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Rockers existed from 1997 until 2003. . . .
Cline, Genevieve R.: Genevieve Rose Cline was the first woman to serve as an appraiser of merchandise for the United States Custom Service the first woman to be appointed as a judge on the United States Customs Court. . . .
Cohon, Angie I.: Angie Cohon was a twentieth-century American author. . . .
College of Mount St. Joseph: In 1920, the Sisters of Charity established the College of Mount St. Joseph, a women's Catholic college, in Cincinnati, Ohio. T . . .
College of Saint Mary of the Springs: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican University. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Columbus Comets: The Columbus Comets is a professional women's football team that plays in the National Women's Football Association (NWFA). . . .
Columbus Lady Shooting Stars: The Columbus Lady Shooting Stars was a women’s professional soccer team from Columbus, Ohio. The Shooting Stars formed in 2003. . . .
Columbus Quest: The Columbus Quest was a women's professional basketball team that played in the American Basketball League. . . .
Columbus Ziggx: The Columbus Ziggx was a women's professional soccer team from Columbus, Ohio. The Ziggx was a charter member of and originally played in the Central Division of the United States Inter-Regional Women's League. . . .
Community of the Transfiguration: The Community of the Transfiguration was a religious order of the Episcopal Church, founded to assist children. . . .
Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: The Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is an order of Roman Catholic women dedicated to educating others. . . .
Cooper, Martha K.: Martha Kinney Cooper was the principal founder of the Ohioana Library. . . .
Cowles, Betsy M.: Betsey Mix Cowles is known for her contributions to education and the women's rights movement in Ohio. She was also quite active in the struggle to abolish slavery. . . .
Craig-Jones, Ellen W.: Ellen Walker Craig-Jones was an African American political figure and civic leader in twentieth century central Ohio. She was born on June 5, 1906, in Franklin County, Ohio. . . .
Dandridge, Dorothy: American actress Dorothy Dandridge was born on November 9, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio. She began singing and dancing, for audiences at the age of five. When Dandridge was nine years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. . . .
Davidson, Jo Ann: Jo Ann Davidson was the first woman to hold position of Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. . . .
Dayton Rockettes: The Dayton Rockettes was a professional basketball team in Dayton, Ohio. The team was a founding member of and played in the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), which formed in 1978. . . .
Deaver, Affadilla: Affadilla Deaver was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Morgan County, Ohio. . . .
Defiance College: Modern-day Defiance College began as the Defiance Female Seminary in 1850. The United Church of Christ created this institution to provide schooling for young women. . . .
Denison University: Originally called the Granville Literary and Theological Institution, Denison University was founded by the Ohio Baptist Education Society in 1831. . . .
Domestic Workers of America: In 1965, Geraldine Roberts, a resident of Cleveland, began organizing African-American women who worked as domestic servants. . . .
Donahey, Gertrude W.: In 1970, Donahey became the first woman to be elected to a statewide office in Ohio when she won election as state treasurer. . . .
Dorr, Nell B.: Nell Becker Dorr was a prominent twentieth-century American photographer. . . .
Dove, Rita: Rita Dove is an American poet, author and educator. . . .
Driver, Phyllis: Phyllis Diller is an American author, musician and entertainer. . . .
Dunn Bill: Pat Dunn, a state representative from Stark County, introduced the Dunn Bill to the Ohio legislature in 1939. Also known as House Bill 26, the Dunn Bill would have prohibited the state government from employing married women. . . .
Early, Sarah W.: Ohioan Sarah Woodson Early was an African-American woman who was active in the Temperance Movement. . . .
Edmonds, Helen G.: Helen Gray Edmonds was the first African-American woman to earn a doctoral degree from The Ohio State University. . . .
Embrey, Nora: Nora Embrey was the second woman sheriff in Ohio. . . .
Equal Rights Amendment: On March 22, 1972, the federal government sent the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the individual states for ratification. The ERA sought to make gender discrimination a violation of the United States Constitution. . . .
Female Moral Reform Society: The Female Moral Reform Society was one of the first national organizations that enabled women to escape the private sphere and to play a role in the public life. . . .
Female Protective Union: Cleveland, Ohio's Female Protective Union was a reform organization that sought to improve working conditions for women garment workers. . . .
First White Wedding in Cleveland: The first wedding between a white man and a white woman in Cleveland took place on July 4, 1797. . . .
First Women's Rights Movement: In North America, the women's rights movement first gained momentum with the American Revolution. . . .
Fiste, Erma L.: Erma Bombeck was a well-known twentieth-century American journalist and humorist. . . .
Flappers: Flapper was the name for young women who dressed provocatively and supposedly were much more open with their sexuality during the 1920s. People of the time usually described flappers as having bobbed hairstyles and wearing thick make-up. . . .
Franklin College: In 1870, the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, established Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio. The institution was an outgrowth of Franklin College, an institution of higher education initially proposed for Tuppers Plains, Ohio. . . .
Franklin College (New Athens): Alma College and its successor, Franklin College, were important educational institutions in Ohio during the nineteenth century. . . .
Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc.: The Franklin Museum of New Athens, Inc., is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Franklin College. . . .
Frontier Women: Women faced many challenges on the Ohio frontier. The first white women arrived in the Ohio Country around the time of the American Revolution, as wives of missionaries and soldiers. . . .
Fuji Society: Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Fuji Society was a social organization of Japanese war brides. . . .
Fulton, Mary: Mary Fulton was a missionary for the Presbyterian Church. She was born in Ashland, Ohio. . . .
Gage, Frances D.: Frances Dana Gage was an influential participant in the abolitionist, temperance and women's rights movements in Ohio in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
Garner, Margaret: Margaret Garner was a slave woman with a national reputation in the years before the American Civil War. In January 1856, she fled with her husband and four children (some sources say that she had six children) from her owner in Kentucky. . . .
Garrison, William L.: William Lloyd Garrison was a prominent American advocate of the abolition of the institution of slavery. . . .
Girls' Industrial Home: The Girls' Industrial Home was Ohio's correctional facility for minor women for much of the state's history. . . .
Goodrich House: Settlement houses were located in most major cities. Ohio had numerous settlement houses, including the Goodrich House in Cleveland. Mrs. Samuel Mather and several of her women friends established the Goodrich House to improve living conditions for immigrants and other people living in the inner cities. . . .
Grange: Established in the late nineteenth century, the Grange, formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was an organization created to assist farmers with the various problems that they faced. . . .
Grant, Julia D.: Julia Dent Grant was a First Lady of the United States of America. Her husband was Ohioan Ulysses S. Grant. . . .
Great Depression: The Great Depression took place after the Stock Market Crash in October 1929. During the late 1920s, the stock market in the United States boomed. Many Americans began to purchase stock, and the value of stocks dramatically increased in value. . . .
Grimes, Anne: Anne Grimes was a journalist, musician and historian of American folklore. . . .
Grossman, Mary B.: Mary Belle Grossman served as a municipal court judge for thirty-six years and was one of the first two women to be admitted to the American Bar Association. . . .
Harrison, Caroline L.: Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison was born on October 1, 1832, in Oxford, Ohio. Her father, John Witherspoon Scott, was a professor of science and math at Miami University in Oxford. . . .
Harvey, Elizabeth B.: Elizabeth Burgess Harvey was a Quaker and an abolitionist in Warren County, Ohio during the 1830s and 1840s. Along with her husband, Jesse Harvey, Elizabeth was also responsible for founding the community of Harveysburg, Ohio. . . .
Harveysburg Free Black School: Established in 1831 in Harveysburg, the Harveysburg Free Black School was the first free school for African-American children in Ohio. . . .
Hayden, Gillette: Gillette Hayden was the third woman to graduate from Ohio State's dental school and eventually became nationally known as an expert in the treatment of periodontal diseases. . . .
Hill, Katherine: Katherine Hill created the T. Marzetti Company's Original Slaw Dressing and remained a vital employee of the firm for nearly seventy years. . . .
Hollister, Nancy P.: Nancy Putnam Hollister was Ohio's first female governor. . . .
Hudson, Ohio: In 1800, David Hudson established the community of Hudson in the Connecticut Western Reserve. Hudson was the first settlement in what would eventually become Summit County, Ohio. . . .
Jemison, Mary: Mary Jemison was a British woman that was taken captive by the French and the Shawnee during the French and Indian War. She spent the remainder of her life living as an Indian. . . .
Johnny Marzetti: Ohioan Teresa Marzetti was the first person to serve the casserole Johnny Marzetti in a restaurant. . . .
Kaukonen, Amy A.: Amy Kaukonen was the first woman elected mayor of a community in Ohio. She also was one of the first women elected mayor in the entire United States. . . .
Kazel, Dorothy L.: Dorothy L. Kazel was an Ursuline Sister from Ohio who was abducted and killed by El Salvadoran National Guardsmen during a civil war in El Salvador in 1980, . . .
Kingsbury Baby: The Kingsbury baby was the first child born to a white couple in the Connecticut Western Reserve. . . .
Lake Erie College: Lake Erie College formed in 1856 as a seminary for women in Painesville, Ohio. The institution, originally known as Lake Erie Female Seminary, first offered classes in 1859, with 137 students initially enrolling. . . .
Lake Erie Female Seminary: Lake Erie Female Seminary formed in 1856 as a seminary for women in Painesville, Ohio. The institution, now known as Lake Erie College, first offered classes in 1859, with 137 students initially enrolling. . . .
League of Women Voters: The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920 to encourage participation in the political process and to educate voters about political issues and candidates. . . .
Lenski, Lois: Lois Lenski was an artist and one of the best-known American book illustrators of the twentieth century. . . .
Libenson, Terri: Terri Libenson is an American artist, graphic designer and cartoonist. . . .
Locke, John: John Locke was born on February 19, 1792, in Fryeburg, Massachusetts (now Maine). In 1819, Locke graduated from Yale Medical School and briefly served as an assistant surgeon in the United States Navy. . . .
Lourdes College: On December 18, 1916, Mother Mary Adelaide Sandusky and a group of Franciscan sisters arrived in Sylvania, Ohio, at the request of Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Toledo, Ohio diocese. These Catholic nuns would establish the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio. This order dedicated itself to charity and educational activities in northwestern Ohio, including establishing Lourdes College. . . .
Magee, Elizabeth: In 1920, a sufficient number of states ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment granted women the right to vote. This amendment marked a dramatic improvement for women and their rights, however, efforts to improve women's rights did not just center on the right to vote. . . .
Mahan, Asa: Asa Mahan was an educator, reformer and the first President of Oberlin College. . . .
Marzetti, Teresa: Teresa Marzetti was the founder of the T. Marzetti Company in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Matthews, Eva L.: Eva Lee Matthews and Beatrice Henderson founded an Episcopal religious order in Ohio known as the Community of the Transfiguration. . . .
McClelland, Helen G.: Ohioan Helen Grace McClelland was one of only three women to receive the Distinguished Service Cross, the United States of America's second highest combat award. She also received the British Royal Red Cross for her actions during World War I. . . .
McCormick, Elizabeth A.: Elizabeth Anne O'Hare McCormick was a prominent twentieth century American journalist, author and public figure. . . .
Merrick, Myra K.: Dr. Myra King Merrick was the first woman medical doctor in Ohio. She moved to Cleveland to set up her practice in 1852. . . .
Mock, Geraldine F.: Newark, Ohio native, Geraldine Fredritz Mock was the first woman to fly around the world. . . .
Montgomery, Betty D.: Betty D. Montgomery was a prominent Ohio politician during the late twentieth and the early twenty-first centuries. . . .
Morgan, Marabel: Marabel Morgan was a bestselling author and an anti-feminist during the 1970s. . . .
Moses, Phoebe A.: Phoebe Anne Moses was a world famous markswoman and entertainer who was better known by her stage name of "Annie Oakley." . . .
Mother's Pension Law: In 1913, the Ohio state legislature enacted a number of important Progressive reforms, including a Mother's Pension Law. . . .
Mount Union College: Mount Union College obtained its charter from the state of Ohio in 1858, although the school had functioned as a private academy before that date. O.N. Hartshorn founded the college and served as its first president. . . .
Mozee, Phoebe A.: Phoebe Anne Mozee was a world famous markswoman and entertainer who was better known by her stage name of "Annie Oakley." . . .
Muskingum College: In 1837, the Presbyterian Church founded Muskingum College at New Concord. It was one of the first coeducational institutions of higher education in the United States. . . .
National Welfare Rights Organization: In 1967, Lillian Craig, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, founded the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO). This group eventually encompassed people, especially women, across the United States of America. . . .
National Woman's Party: In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a number of womens organizations advocated womens rights, including the right to vote. Among those groups was the National Womens Party. . . .
Nineteenth Amendment: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted adult women the right to vote. . . .
Notre Dame College of Ohio: In 1922, the Sisters of Notre Dame established Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio. Notre Dame College began operation as a Catholic women's college. . . .
O'Neil-Pringle Minimum Wage Bill: In 1933, the Ohio legislature debated the merits of the O'Neil-Pringle Minimum Wage Bill. This bill, if passed, would allow a state official to establish minimum wages for both women and children employed in certain businesses. . . .
Oberlin College: In 1832, Presbyterian minister John L. Shipherd began planning to establish an institution of higher education in Oberlin, Ohio. The school opened in December 1833 and became known as Oberlin College. . . .
Oberlin, Ohio: John Shipherd, a Presbyterian minister, and Philo Stewart founded Oberlin, Ohio, in 1833. The town was named after Reverend John Frederic Oberlin, a famous minister in Alsace who had died in 1826. . . .
Ohio Branch of the Council of National Defense: During World War I, the United States Congress established the Council of National Defense to manage the domestic aspects of the nations war effort. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1803: The Ohio Constitution of 1803 was Ohio's first state constitution. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1851: By 1850, many Ohioans believed that the time had come to replace the Constitution of 1802. New issues had arisen that the drafters of the first constitution had not foreseen. . . .
Ohio Constitution of 1874: In 1871, some Ohio government officials felt the need to redraft Ohio's state constitution. The constitution currently in effect was the Constitution of 1851. During the twenty years since this document's ratification, the United States had experienced great change. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802: The Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802 drafted Ohio's first state constitution. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1850-1851: By 1850, many Ohioans believed that the time had come to replace the Constitution of 1803. New issues had arisen that the drafters of the first constitution had not foreseen. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1873 - 1874: In 1871, some Ohio government officials felt the need to redraft Ohio's state constitution. The constitution currently in effect was the Constitution of 1851. During the twenty years since this document's ratification, the United States had experienced great change. . . .
Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1912: In the early twentieth century, many Ohioans believed that the current state constitution was outdated. Progressives were attempting to rid politics of corruption and inefficiency, and many reformers believed that the government should do more to protect its citizens and the nation's moral values in an era of rapid change caused by industrialization, immigration, and urbanization. As a result, in 1910 Ohio voters approved the creation of a new constitutional convention. . . .
Ohio Consumers' League: The Ohio Consumers' League sought improved working conditions for women and children. . . .
Ohio Defense Corps: The Ohio Defense Corps had its roots in the Ohio Militia, which was formed in 1803. . . .
Ohio Dominican College: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican College. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Ohio Dominican University: In 1911, the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs implemented plans to establish the College of Saint Mary of the Springs, the predecessor to Ohio Dominican University. The College of Saint Mary of the Springs formally opened in 1924, as a Catholic women's college in Columbus, Ohio. . . .
Ohio Female College: The Ohio Female College was located in Pleasant Hill, a community near Cincinnati. . . .
Ohio Female Medical Education Society: The Ohio Female Medical Education Society was one of the first organizations in Ohio to encourage women to join the medical profession. . . .
Ohio House Bill 610 (Gender Discrimination Prohibition): In 1973, the Ohio state government passed House Bill 610. This bill prohibited gender discrimination in employment, housing, and in public accommodations. . . .
Ohio Penitentiary: The Ohio Penitentiary opened in Columbus in 1834 and continued to house prisoners until 1979. The state had built a small prison in Columbus in 1813. But as the state's population grew the earlier facility was not able to handle the number of prisoners sent to it by the courts. . . .
Ohio Wesleyan University: Ohio Wesleyan University received its charter from the state of Ohio in 1842. The first college classes were offered in 1844. The school was associated with the Methodist Church from the beginning. . . .
Ohio Woman Suffrage Association: The Ohio Woman Suffrage Association was an early woman's suffragist group in Ohio. . . .
Ohio Women's Rights Association: The Ohio Women's Rights Association was an early women's rights association in Ohio. . . .
Ohio Women's Temperance Society: Established in 1853, the Ohio Women's Temperance Society was an early temperance organization in Ohio. . . .
Otterbein College: The Church of the United Brethren in Christ founded Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, in 1847. The college was originally known as the Otterbein University of Ohio and received its charter from the state in 1849. . . .
Oxford Female Institute: In 1849, Herman B. Mayo, Alfred Luce, Robert H. Bishop, Jr., Peter D. Matson, Samuel R. Mollyneaux, Peter Sutton, William H. Smith, William A. Irwin, and Francis H. Peyton established the Oxford Female Institute. . . .
Patterson, John H.: John Henry Patterson was born on December 13, 1844, near Dayton, Ohio. He spent his early years attending public schools in Dayton, as well as working in his father's saw and gristmills. During the American Civil War, he enlisted in the Union Army but served only one hundred days near the war's conclusion. . . .
Powell, Dawn: Dawn Powell was a notable Twentieth Century American novelist and playwright. . . .
Pyke, Bernice S.: In 1920, Bernice Secrest Pyke was the first woman appointed to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. . . .
Reynolds, Emma A.: Emma Ann Reynolds was the first African-American woman admitted to the Medical College of Chicago at Northwestern University. . . .
Rice, Helen S.: Helen Steiner Rice was a twentieth century author, poet and editor. . . .
Roaring Twenties: Many people believe that the 1920s marked a new era in American history. The decade often is referred to as the "Roaring Twenties." . . .
Roberts, Geraldine: Geraldine Roberts, a Cleveland, Ohio resident, began organizing African-American women working as domestic servants in 1965. . . .
Rosie the Riveter: During World War II, millions of American women assisted the war effort by working in various industries. Before the war's outbreak, twelve million American women found employment in factories. The number of women working in such positions during the conflict soared to nineteen million women. . . .
Rudolph, Lucretia: Lucretia Rudolph married James A. Garfield in 1858 and became First Lady of the United States in 1881. . . .
Seid, Ruth: Ruth Seid was an American author of novels, short stories and television scripts. . . .
Seneca Falls Convention: In 1848, the first women's rights convention in the United States of America took place at Seneca Falls, New York. . . .
Sessions, Lucy: Lucy Sessions was the first African-American woman to receive a college degree. Little is known about her early life. . . .
Sho-Jo-Ji Dance Troupe: Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Sho-Jo-Ji Dance Troupe is a prominent Japanese dance troupe. . . .
Smith, Helen N.: Helen Norman Smith was a professor of health and physical education at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Smither, Ethel L.: Ethel Lyle Smither was a well-known twentieth-century author of children's religious books. . . .
Soldiers' Aid Society: During the American Civil War, the Soldiers' Aid Society was a private organization providing Northern soldiers with the supplies they needed to carry on the war. . . .
Spirit of Columbus: The Spirit of Columbus was the first plane piloted by a woman to fly around the world. . . .
St. Ignatius College: In 1886, the Society of Jesus established St. Ignatius College in Cleveland, Ohio. Saint Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus, an order within the Roman Catholic Church. . . .
State Reform School for Girls: The State Reform School for Girls, which eventually became known as the Girls' Industrial Home, was Ohio's correctional facility for minor women for much of the state's history. . . .
Steinem, Gloria: Gloria Steinem is an author, journalist and well-known advocate of women's rights. . . .
Stewart, Eliza D.: Eliza Daniel Stewart was an important temperance advocate during the latter half of the nineteenth century. She began her career in public service during the American Civil War. . . .
Stewart, Potter: Potter Stewart was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. . . .
Stone, Lucy: Lucy Stone was a prominent leader of the woman's rights movement in nineteenth century America. . . .
Stowe, Harriet B.: Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American author and abolitionist in the years before the American Civil War. . . .
T. Marzetti Company: Founded in Columbus, Ohio, the T. Marzetti Company produces specialty foods for restaurants and individuals. . . .
Taylor, Lucy H.: Lucy Hobbs Taylor was the first woman in the world to receive a doctorate in dentistry. . . .
Terrell, Melissa G.: Melissa Garrett was born in Adams County, Ohio in 1834. She eventually married W.H. Timmons, and upon his death, she wed William Terrell. . . .
Thoburn, Isabella: Isabella Thoburn was the first woman Methodist Episcopal Church missionary to India. She was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1840. . . .
Thomas, Edith: Edith Matilda Thomas was an American author and poet in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. . . .
Thompson, Eliza J.: Eliza Jane Trimble Thompson lived in the community of Hillsboro, Ohio. She was the daughter of former Ohio governor Allen Trimble and the wife of a local judge. . . .
Toledo Spitfire: The Toledo Spitfire is a women’s professional football team from Toledo, Ohio. The squad plays in the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA). . . .
Truth, Sojourner: Sojourner Truth was born in 1797, in a Dutch community in the State of New York. She was born a slave. Her original name was Isabella Baumfree. . . .
Uncle Tom's Cabin: During the early 1850s, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. Stowe became an abolitionist during the 1830s when she lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . .
Untermeyer, Jeanette S.: Jeanette Starr Untermeyer was an important twentieth century American poet. . . .
Upton, Harriet T.: Harriet Taylor Upton was a leading women's rights advocate who served as president of the Ohio Womans Suffrage Association from 1899 to 1908 and from 1911 to 1920. . . .
Ursuline College: In 1871, Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont established Ursuline College for Women in Cleveland, Ohio. Mother Mary was a member of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, who continue to sponsor the college. . . .
Ursuline College for Women: In 1871, Mother Mary of the Annunciation Beaumont established Ursuline College for Women in Cleveland, Ohio. Mother Mary was a member of the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland, who continue to sponsor the college. . . .
Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland: In 1850, four members of the Sisters of Ursula arrived in Cleveland, Ohio. They came at the invitation of Amadeus Rappe, the first Catholic bishop in Cleveland. The Ursuline Sisters immediately founded a school for younger children. . . .
Victoria's Secret: Victoria's Secret is the leading specialty retailer of lingerie, dominating the market with modern, fashion-inspired collections, celebrated supermodels, prestige fragrances and cosmetics, and world-famous runway shows. . . .
Von Kappelhoff, Doris: Doris Mary Ann Von Kappelhoff, better known as Doris Day, was one of the best known actresses in America in the mid to late twentieth century. . . .
Webb, Lucy W.: Lucy Ware Webb was an advocate for the abolition of slavery and the rights of women in nineteenth century America. She was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes. . . .
Weisenborn, Clara E.: Clara Weisenborn was a prominent politician in Ohio from the 1950s to the 1970s. . . .
Wentworth, Ella: Ella Wentworth, a resident of Cincinnati, was a woman far ahead of her times. Wentworth began editing The Literary Journal in the city in 1853. . . .
Wesleyan Church of America: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the predecessor of the Wesleyan Church of America. . . .
Wesleyan Methodist Church: In 1843, some members of the Methodist Episcopal Church left to establish the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The principal reason for this separation was the strong opposition to slavery and wide support for women's rights among the people who came to call themselves Wesleyan Methodists. . . .
Western College: The predecessor to Western College originated in 1853, when the Western Female Seminary was established in Oxford, Ohio. It was a women’s college, which sought to provide religious instruction and a college education similar to one offered to men in other institutions. . . .
Western College for Women: The predecessor to the Western College for Women originated in 1853, when the Western Female Seminary was established in Oxford, Ohio. . . .
Whiteman, Marjorie M.: Marjorie Mellace Whiteman was born in Liberty Township, Ohio, in 1898. She would emerge as one of the leading experts on international law during the 1950s and the 1960s. . . .
Williams, Alice M.: Alice Moon Williams was a missionary for the Congregationalist Church. She was born on May 22, 1860, in Reedsburg, Ohio. . . .
Withrow, Mary Ellen: In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated Mary Ellen Withrow as United States Treasurer. The United States Senate confirmed her unanimously, making Withrow the first person to become U.S. Treasurer who also had served in a similar capacity at both the local and state levels. . . .
Wofford, Chloe A.: Toni Morrison is a noted author and educator and the first African American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. . . .
Woman's Christian Temperance Union: In 1874, a group of Cleveland women established the Women's Christian Temperance Union. This organization pressured the Ohio and federal governments to implement Prohibition. . . .
Women: Women faced many challenges in early Ohio. The first white women arrived in the Ohio Country around the time of the American Revolution, as wives of missionaries and soldiers. The first white child born in Ohio was Johanna Maria Heckewelder, daughter of missionaries sent by the Moravian Church to convert the Delaware Indians. . . .
Women in the Industrial Workforce: Prior to the American Civil War, the vast majority of Ohioans earned their living by farming. Men worked in the fields, while women cared for the home. . . .
Women Watch: Women Watch is an event hosted by the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland each March at the Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio. The purpose of the event is to honor women and children harmed or killed in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, during the previous year. . . .
Women's Relief Corps Home for Army Nurses: In 1892, the Women's Relief Corps established the Women's Relief Corps Home for Army Nurses in Madison, Ohio. . . .
Woodhull, Victoria C.: Homer, Ohio native, Victoria Claffin Woodhull, was a prominent magazine editor and women's rights advocate during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. . . .
Worthington, Sarah: Sarah Worthington King Peter was a nineteenth-century American philanthropist and patron of the arts. . . .
Xavier University: In 1831, Bishop Edward Fenick established a college called the Athenaeum in Cincinnati. This school was the first Roman Catholic college founded in Ohio. . . .
Young Women's Christian Association: In 1855, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) was founded in England. . . .