Throughout history, women's achievements have often been downplayed or overlooked. 

As part of WPLN's efforts to empower women, we aim to recognize the women who came before us.

Here's what women in the past accomplished throughout history during the month of September:

• SEPTEMBER 23, 1838: Victoria Woodhull is born on this day; she would later become known as the first woman to run for president of the United States (although she was younger than the constitutionally mandated age of 35).
• SEPTEMBER 23, 1863: Mary Church Terrell is born on this day; she would later become the first president of National Association of Colored Women and the first Black woman to be appointed to the school board of a major city.
• SEPTEMBER 6, 1870: Laramie resident Louisa Swain became the first woman to vote in a U.S. general election on this day, more than 50 years before women's right to vote was recognized in 1920.
• SEPTEMBER 26, 1971: U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm announces on this day that she would run for president, becoming the first Black woman to run for president of the United States.
• SEPTEMBER 20, 1973: Billie Jean King defeats Bobby Riggs in the battle of the sexes tennis match.
• SEPTEMBER 25, 1981: Sandra Day O’Connor is sworn in as the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme.

Check out WPLN's September 2024 newsletter!