The most influential American women of our time

In this gallery, we look at American women whose accomplishments continue to have an impact in fields ranging from politics, to music, sports, literature, science, and many others. Click on to discover who they are.

Leaders and politicians: Carol Moseley Braun

In 1992, she was the first African-American woman elected to the US Senate. During her time in the Senate, she focused on civil rights, women's rights, educational reforms, gun laws, and served on the Senate Finance Committee.

Leaders and politicians: Condoleezza Rice

Appointed in 2004 by President George W. Bush, Rice took office in January 2005, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as Secretary of State. She replaced Colin Powell, who was the first African-American to serve in that position.

Leaders and politicians: Hillary Clinton

The former U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and First Lady was nominated as the Democratic nominee on July 26, 2016, becoming the first woman from a major party to run.

Athletes: Billie Jean King

Following in Gibson’s footsteps, King also broke barriers in tennis by pushing for equal prize money for women and men, which she achieved at the 1973 US Open.

Athletes: Serena Williams

Considered by many as one of the best athletes in sports history, Williams’ accomplishments in tennis are too many to list. She currently holds the status of being the only tennis player in history (of any gender) to have won at least six singles titles in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments. She is also the only player in history to have won two Grand Slams seven times each (seven Wimbledon titles and seven Australian Open titles).

Artists: Georgia O'Keeffe

One of the leading figures in American Modernism, O’Keeffe helped establish a new and significant space for women in art, a field that continues to be dominated by men.

Activists, revolutionaries, and humanitarians: Helen Keller

The writer, humanitarian, and social activist became blind and deaf following a near-fatal illness as an infant. Despite her disability, she refused to live in isolation, and went on to change the lives of people with disabilities through her activism.

Activists, revolutionaries, and humanitarians: Tarana Burke

The American civil rights activist is known for being the first to use the phrase "Me Too" back in 2006. Her slogan was adopted overnight in 2017 by women sharing their experiences of rape and sexual assault, which has evolved into a full-blown movement.

Aviation and space: Sally Ride

The physicist and astronaut opened all sorts of doors for women scientists after becoming the first American woman in space in 1983.

Business leaders: Meg Whitman

The business executive who served as the CEO to Hewlett Packard Enterprise until resigning in February 2018, is best known for taking eBay from US$5.7 million to $8 billion in sales during her tenure as the company’s CEO between 1998 and 2008.

Entertainers: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah consistently ranks as the most powerful and influential woman in the world, mainly because of her ability to reach massive amounts of people. Many believe she played a crucial role in Barack Obama’s successful presidential campaign in 2008, as his numbers seemingly soared after she publicly endorsed him.

Scientists and researchers: Margaret Mead

The cultural anthropologist popularized anthropology in modern American and Western culture, and is best known for her theory that culture rather than heredity shapes personality.

Scientists and researchers: Rachel Carson

The work of this early marine biologist, author, and conservationist greatly helped advance the global environmental movement.

Writers: Toni Morrison

The novelist was the recipient of both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes for her work exploring the African-American experience. In 2012, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.