Timeline: 1901-1950

black and white photo of Cooper

Signe Skott Cooper

Signe Skott Cooper was a World War II army nurse and an influential nursing professor.

Maginel Wright Barney

Maginel Wright Barney was an artist and cartoonist known for her colorful scenery and wide variety of art styles.

Florence Bascom

Florence Bascom was a trailblazing geologist and the first woman to receive a degree from Johns Hopkins University.

May Shiga Hornback

Japanese American nursing educator Dr. May Shiga Hornback introduced innovative televised and telephone-based nursing instruction to students across Wisconsin.

Lillie Rosa Minoka-Hill

Lillie Rosa Minoka-Hill was the second Native American woman in the US to earn a medical degree and was the primary caregiver for the Oneida Reservation for many years.
Image description: A black-and-white portrait-style photo of Nazik al-Mala'ika with 'Iraq' written in both Arabic and English in the background.

Nazik al-Mala’ika

Nazik al-Mala’ika, a ground-breaking Iraqi poet and women’s rights advocate, was one of the first Arab poets to work in free verse instead of the classical rhyme form.
Image description: A black-and-white headshot of Lorena Hickok.

Lorena Hickok

Lorena "Hick" Hickok was a journalist during the U.S. Great Depression and a close friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Image description: A black-and-white photo of Edna Ferber writing at a desk.

Edna Ferber

Edna Ferber was a short story writer, playwright, and Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist who portrayed strong women characters.
Image description: A black-and-white photo of Maud Neprud Otjen standing in front of bare trees.

Maud Neprud Otjen

Maud Neprud Otjen was the first woman in Wisconsin to be a county superintendent of schools and encouraged women to be involved in civic life.
Image description: A black-and-white headshot of Nellie Wilson.

Nellie Wilson

Nellie Wilson spent her life fighting for employment opportunities for women and was the first African American woman to hold a leadership position in her local steelworkers union.