Womanica
Thinking back to our history classes growing up, we had one question: Where the ladies at? Enter, Womanica. In just 5 minutes a day, learn about different incredible women from throughout history. On Wonder Media Network’s award-winning podcast, we’re telling the stories of women you may or may not know — but definitely should. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
The Heroines of Jiangyong were women in rural China who made a secret language – Nüshu – to communicate with each other. Nüshu translates directly to “women’s writing” and is a series of phonetic scripts. The practice is estimated to go back as far as the Shang Dynasty 1600 to 1046 BCE. For centuries it was the language of female defiance to the Chinese patriarchy, legitimizing the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of rural women...
Assata Shakur (1947-present) was a member of the Black Liberation Army who was imprisoned and convicted of murdering a police officer. She escaped prison in 1979, and has lived in exile in Cuba ever since. In 2013, she was the first woman to be placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List.
For Further Reading:
For the past six years,...
Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was an English novelist and playwright whose gothic romance works have been described as “moody and resonant." Many of her novels and short stories have been adapted into films including: Rebecca, Frenchman’s Creek, My Cousin Rachel, The Birds, and Don’t Look Now.
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Deidre Muriel Roper (b. 1970), better known as DJ Spinderella or simply “Spinderella,”) is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as the third member of Salt-N-Pepa, one of the first all-woman rap groups that paved the way for other female rappers to rise to mainstream success and talk openly about sexuality.
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Darlene Anderson (1939-present) is the first Black woman professional roller derby skater. Known for her speed, stamina, and competitive spirit, Darlene was inducted into the Roller Derby Hall of Fame in 2009.
For Further Reading:
- Meet Darlene Anderson | Derby Dolls
- Derby Memoirs | Darlene Anderson
- Darlene Anderson broke roller derby color barrier in 1958 | Los Angeles Sentinel
This month, we’re talking about Wome...
Nirmala Patwardhan (1928-2008) revived an ancient glaze technique, taught generations of potters, and left her mark on ceramic art around the world.
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This month, we’re talking about Women of the Wheel – icons who turned motion into momentum and spun their legacies on spokes, skates and potter’s wheels. These women harnessed the power of the axle...
Yui Kamiji (1994-present) is a Japanese professional wheelchair tennis player. She won 32 major titles at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and a gold for both singles and doubles at the 2024 Paralympics.
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Gunta Stözl (1897-1983) was a German textile artist who pioneered a modern, industrial textile design style through the German Bauhaus school. Her experimental, kaleidoscopic, and richly tactile designs remain influential today.
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Kittie Knox (1874-1900) was an American cyclist and prominent figure in the then-early American sport. She was the first Black member of the League of American Wheelmen, joining in 1893, challenging and joining the organization’s segregationist policies. Known for her prowess, style, and finesse, Kittkie Knox was a pioneer when very few women, let alone women of color, were allowed to participate.
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Margaret Rarru (1940-Present) is an indigenous Australian master weaver. She is most known for her conical baskets and creation of “mol,” a black dye which she alone can give permission to use.
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Sumiko Iwamuro (1935-present), known as DJ Sumirock, is a Japanese DJ. She worked in her family’s restaurant for decades before deciding to go to DJ school in her seventies. In May 2018, she was recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest professional club DJ at 83 years old. She is now 90 years old and still playing live shows at DecaBarZ Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district.
For Further Reading:
Clotho is a figure from ancient Greek mythology. The youngest of the Three Fates, or Moirai, she spins the thread of human life that decides a soul’s destiny at birth.
For Further Reading:
This month, we’re talking about Women of the Wheel – icons who turned motion into momentum and spun their legacies on spokes, skates and potter’s wheels. These women...
Margaret Anderson (1959 - present), known as The Ranking Miss P, was a DJ “spinner” in the 1980s, and the first black female DJ on BBC Radio 1. She brought reggae, soul, funk, and Black British culture into the UK mainstream. Miss P didn't just play music, she helped redefine what it means to be a strong and memorable voice on air.
For Further Reading:
Ana Delfosse (1931-2017) was an Argentine race-car driver and Formula One mechanic. She worked for Grand Prix champion Juan Fangio who broke speed records and social barriers when she became the first woman to win a pure-speed auto race in Argentina.
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Ella Chafee (1945-2019) was a professional wheelchair athlete. She competed in the Paralympics three times in fencing, racing, and swimming. She was inducted into the Basketball, Swimming, and Track and Field Hall of Fame.
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Louise Armaindo (c.1861 - 1900) was a Canadian strongwoman, trapeze artist, “pedestrienne”, and record-breaking high-wheel racer. She was one of the first professional women athletes. Though her feats of power and endurance earned her recognition as one of the great athletes of her time years after she was last seen, much of her story remained a historical footnote until recently.
For Further Reading:
Caroline LeCount (c. 1846-1923) was a teacher and civil rights activist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who successfully fought to desegregate the city's streetcars.
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Zinaida Troitskaya (1913-1981) was a Soviet railway engineer and locomotive driver who broke barriers as one of the first women to hold leadership positions in the male-dominated field of rail transportation. She was instrumental in transporting people and supplies during World War II and served as the Deputy Head of the Moscow Metro for 30 years.
For Further Reading:
Cheryl Glass (1961-1997) was an American driver and one of the first African American female racing drivers. She competed in sprint car driving in the Pacific Northwest and attempted a national level career as well.
For Further Reading:
Eliska Junková (1900-1994) was a Czech motosport enthusiast and the first woman to win a Grand Prix racing event. She garnered attention for her prowess on the track in what is still a male-dominated sport.
Further Reading:
- Classic & Sports Car: The Pioneering Miss Bugatti
- Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciens, Elisabeth Junek
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