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Women from West Virginia have made remarkable contributions to the world in a wide variety of fields. Here are just a few of them.
Royall used her writing skills to navigate and shape the political and social landscape of her time. She was a leading journalist and critic in early American history. Raised on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and Virginia, including time living in ...
Betty Zane is remembered for her daring act of bravery at Wheeling in 1782, near the end of the Revolutionary War, although historical evidence is scarce, leading to skepticism among some. According to legend, Zane dashed across an open field to r...
Davis helped develop the genre of American realistic fiction, though she was not widely recognized in her time. Her work, particularly "Life in the Iron Mills," explored the harsh realities of industrial labor in Wheeling and drew attention to the...
This Upshur County teenager's diary offers a deeply personal and vivid account of the Civil War from the perspective of a young woman in rural West Virginia. Her writings provide unique insights into the emotional and daily struggles faced by civi...
This Grafton native was a trailblazer for her contributions to portraiture, photojournalism, and documentary photography at a time when the field was largely dominated by men during her time.She began as a photojournalist, capturing images of labo...
This Charleston native lived and worked mostly during a time when Black and White children were not allowed to go to school together. In 1908, after teaching in Kanawha County schools, she started the teacher-training department at West Virginia C...
Montague's upbringing in the natural beauty of her native White Sulphur Springs strongly influenced her writing. Her literary works often captured the essence of mountain life, with novels and stories set primarily in West Virginia. The Sowing of ...
This Monongalia County native was one of the state’s most notable artists and is recognized as one of America's leading abstract painters and print makers. Unusually independent for a woman of her time, Lazzell traveled twice to Paris, absorbing t...
Spencer's life and work reflect the richness of African American literature during the Harlem Renaissance, as well as her personal journey from the rural South to national literary recognition. Her roots in Virginia and West Virginia, along with h...
In 1938, this Pocahontas County native became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. She launched her literary career with the publication East Wind: West Wind in 1930. The following year brought worldwide acclaim with...
Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith was born in Alderson. Her stage debut was at age five in Uncle Tom's Cabin; by the time she was 16, she was performing on the vaudeville circuit.She received the nickname "Bricktop" from a saloon k...
Revella Hughes grew up in a musical family in Huntington, playing piano and violin as a child. In the 1920s, she moved to New York and became part of the booming cultural scene for African Americans called the Harlem Renaissance. She was the first...
This Greenville native studied at West Virginia University before becoming one of the first women to earn an M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, in 1926. For 43 years, "Dr. Maggie," as she liked to be called, practiced medicin...
This Logan County native overcame the death of her husband in the mines to raise a family on hard work and little money. But she's best remembered for her mastery of the clawhammer banjo. Her influence on the traditional music community cannot be ...
This Huntington native led an extraordinary and colorful life as a blues artist. She escaped a difficult home life at an early age and sought freedom and expression through performing, beginning her career at age 13. The circumstances of her early...
This Sutton native was a remarkable soprano with an impressive international career that spanned across Europe and America. She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1935, playing Cio-Cio-San in Madame Butterfly, making her the first West Vi...
Excelling academically by graduating high school at age 15, this Morgantown native went on to shape the future of computing and space exploration. The path she paved for African American women in science and engineering during her time at NACA and...
This Pocahontas County native's ability to capture the essence of Appalachian life with such technical skill, coupled with her unflinching use of local dialects, sets her apart as a distinctive voice in American poetry. Her first full-length book ...
On December 13, 1933, Beulah McCown became one of the first female pilots in West Virginia to receive her flying license. She earned her commercial pilot’s license a few months later. Beulah married her instructor and leader of the state Board of ...
Steber's achievements in the world of opera and music were monumental. From a young age, she trained at the New England Conservatory of Music and honed her craft in New York City. Her victory in the prestigious Metropolitan Opera radio auditions i...
Baker's journey from Pittsburgh's jazz clubs to singing with jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and Billy Eckstine is a testament to her immense talent and influence. Her time with "The Dream Band" was a peak moment...
Our new e-WV entry is about storyteller extraordinaire, the "Belle of Doddridge County," Bonnie Collins (1915-2011). She was a fan favorite at fairs and festivals from the early 1970s to early 2000s. A homemaker, 4-H leader, and school cook, she w...
This Charleston native's works explore West Virginia history through fiction. Her extensive research and unique writing process, especially with the Beulah Quintet, demonstrate a powerful dedication to her craft. It's fascinating how Settle was ab...
Born Virginia Ruth Egnor in Lincoln County, Dagmar was an accomplished actress and comedian who rose to fame during the early days of TV. She was widely known for her role on NBC's Broadway Open House, where her deadpan humor and clever delivery m...
In 1953, Bluefield native Toni Stone made history by becoming the first woman to play professional baseball for a previously all-male major-league team, the Indianapolis Clowns of the now-defunct Negro American League. Despite facing overwhelming...
This Logan native performed alongside some of Hollywood’s leading stars, most notably John Wayne. Her career spanned several decades, from the 1940s through the 1960s, with her most notable films being Red River (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1...
Mitchell-Bateman made significant contributions to mental health care, particularly in West Virginia, and broke important barriers as a Black woman in medicine and public service.As the director of the Department of Mental Health from 1962 to 1977...
Lee was an influential playwright who brought local, often marginalized, communities into theater. Her innovative methods, such as gathering oral histories to create plays, were groundbreaking, allowing for a more authentic representation on stage...
As a mathematician at NASA, this White Sulphur Springs native's work contributed significantly to the success of some of the most notable space missions, including calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard's suborbital flight (1961), verifying J...
Doris Piserchia’s journey into science fiction writing began as a child in the woods around her native Fairmont and was inspired in part by her Navy service during the Korean War. In a time when science fiction was largely dominated by male writer...
Through her extensive travels and immersion in local communities, Naylor's stories resonate with the struggles and experiences of people in small-town America. Her Newbery Medal-winning novel Shiloh captures the essence of rural life in West Virgi...
This Barbour County native's career spanned decades, with her poetry and contributions to the academic and creative writing worlds leaving a lasting imprint. Many of McKinney's works drew on themes of nature, family, and place, reflecting her conn...
Smith is a country music legend, known for her powerful voice. Her ability to maintain a traditional country style, even as Nashville has embraced more pop influences, has earned her a special place in the hearts of country music fans. Her endurin...
Woodcarver, dancer, playwright, and educator Jude Binder was immersed in the world of art and culture from a young age. Her early exposure to ballet, music, and theater shaped her future, setting her on a path where she would eventually inspire co...
A Bluefield native, Giardina grew up in a McDowell County coal company town before moving to Kanawha County. Her background in the region has strongly influenced her literary works, particularly those focused on the struggles of coal miners .Her l...
This Buckhannon native is a highly accomplished novelist and short story writer whose work often explores themes of family, love, and the complexities of life in Appalachia, especially in West Virginia.Her extensive bibliography includes six short...
With more than 100 books to her name, Rylant captures the hearts of young readers with her lyrical and honest storytelling. Her childhood in West Virginia, particularly the time spent with her grandparents in Raleigh County, has profoundly influen...
This South Charleston native's ability to blend personal stories with broader themes, such as her album Coal, demonstrates her deep connection to the culture and people of her home state. Her advocacy work, particularly in AIDS awareness, demonstr...
As the first Black female president of the American Medical Association (AMA), this Bluefield native has played an essential role in addressing issues such as the opioid crisis. Dr. Harris continues to shape the future of healthcare through her le...
From a standout high school player, excelling in college basketball at the University of Maryland, to a successful international career, this Martinsburg native demonstrated incredible talent and resilience. Not only did she help her college team ...
This Fairmont native made history at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when, at 16, she became the first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics and the first West Virginia woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Retton's five medals...
Born in Houston but raised in Charleston, Garner showed an early passion for dance and theater during her childhood. Her breakthrough TV role was Sydney Bristow in the series Alias (2001-2006), earning Garner a Golden Globe. Her film roles include...
From a humble start, where she didn't see herself as an outstanding student, to becoming a prominent science communicator, engineer, and television host, this Morgantown native's story shows the power of persistence and passion. Her involvement in...
West Virginia Women through History
This Exhibit has 8 Sections