The name ‘Rosa Parks’ is one that has been - deservedly - heralded globally as one of the first voices in the 1950s American Civil Rights Movement. Not many people know, however, that she was not the first; a girl named Claudette Colvin had been arrested for the same act nine months prior.
twentieth century women
Eva Perón – Spiritual Leader of a Nation
Before she became Evita, Eva Duarte had to fight through life. Born into poverty, Eva struggled to make a living for herself in the politically turbulent Argentina. Nevertheless, she would soon rise through the ranks to become one of the most powerful people in the country.
Marlene Dietrich – Breaking the Gender Barrier
Marlene Dietrich spent the majority of her life occupying the stage and screen, her career spanning from the 1910s to the 1980s. While her name is now often associated with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and high society, this only tells half the story.
Frida Kahlo – Painting Her Own Reality
Though her image is easily recognisable today, Frida Kahlo spent her lifetime in relative obscurity. Now an icon of the feminist, Chicano, and LGBT movements, many aspects of Kahlo's life are often overlooked, including her disability and bisexuality.
Marsha P. Johnson – The Shot Glass Heard around the World
Every June, LGBT Pride is celebrated all around the world thanks to the campaigning of the LGBT movement. But that movement owes its thanks to one woman - Marsha P. Johnson, who was instrumental in making Pride what it is today.