Gauhar Jaan (1873-1930) was one of the first Indian voices captured on gramophone records. She was a famous entertainer in India, who could perform in over seven languages. She was a regular entertainer in royal courts across the country.

Victoria Hernandez (1897-1998) was a Latin music entrepreneur and the owner of two vibrant Puerto Rican music stores in New York City. She was a beloved figure in her community for her work helping Puerto Rican musicians make and sell their music. Her store, now known as Casa Amadeo, is the oldest Latin music store in New York City today.

Alice Guy Blaché (1873-1968) is widely considered the first female filmmaker. She experimented with sound, color, and casting in the nascent days of film making and produced hundreds of films — and then was written out of history.

Sophie Germain (1776-1831) was a French mathematician and physicist who contributed to the study of acoustics, elasticity, and number theory. She was forced to assume a fake male identity to have her work taken seriously, but her efforts paved the way for further breakthrough discoveries in mathematics.

Maud Cuney Hare (1874–1936) was a musicologist, pianist, author, and activist during the early Jim Crow era. She is praised for creating one of the earliest collections of African-American music. Maud was also part of Niagara Movement and wrote for the NAACP’s magazine, running in the same circles as W.E.B. Du Bois and other Black Bostonian intellectuals.

This International Women’s Day we have a special episode of Womanica in partnership with iHeart Radio’s initiative, Pass the Mic. Tune in to hear host Jenny Kaplan speak to her mom, U.S. Representative Kathy Manning, about why women's voices matter. Then, we’ll get into today’s Womanican: Mary “Dee” Dudley (1912-1964). She was the first Black woman disc jockey in the US. Through her fan-favorite show Movin’ Around, she pioneered a new form of radio that seamlessly blended news, music, and...

Jackie Cochran (c. 1906-1980) was the first woman to break the sound barrier. In her time as a pilot, she held more records than any other contemporary aviator.

Gal Costa (1945-2022) was an iconic vocalist of Brazilian pop music. As one of the leading acts of the tropicalia movement in the late 1960s, Gal’s music reflected the social unrest of Brazilian youth under an oppressive military dictatorship.

Winona Beamer (1923-2008) was a teacher, singer, dancer and keeper of indigenous Hawaiian culture. She taught Hawaiian history and dance for over 40 years, and composed many classic Hawaiian children’s songs.

Anandavally (c. 1950s-2019) was a prolific Indian dubbing artist, known for her versatile vocal talents and impeccable timing. With a career spanning decades, she lent her voice to numerous iconic characters in Indian cinema. Anandavally's contributions to the world of dubbing enriched countless films and left an indelible mark on the industry.

Toshiko Akiyoshi (1929-present) is a Japanese jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. Her work, which combines standard jazz techniques with traditional Japanese instruments, has earned her 14 Grammy Award nominations.

Marielle Franco (1979-2018) was a  Rio de Janeiro city council member and member of the Socialism and Liberty Party of Brazil. She was also a member of the LGBT community and a human rights activist, especially against police brutality in the favelas, or slums of the city. On March 14, 2018, she was shot four times in the head and killed by two unknown attackers. Many believe she was assassinated.

María Elena Moyano Delgado (1958-1992) was an afro-Peruvian activist and organizer whose focus on community-based solutions revolutionized self-governance in a deeply stratified Peru. Her commitment to social justice in the face of a discriminatory government and threats to her life inspired women across Peru to come forward in their communities.

Mamá Tingó (1921-1974) was an Dominican activist who is often overlooked in historical accounts. She led protests to save her farm — and the farms of 350 other families — from an illegal land seizure. She was assassinated for trying to bring justice to her community.

Margaret Ekpo (1914 - 2006) was a Nigerian women's rights activist and one of Nigeria’s first female elected officials. She worked tirelessly for the rights and political representation of women, as well as for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule.

Jacqueline Creft (1946-1983) was one of the key leaders in Grenada’s People’s Revolutionary Government. She believed in uplifting the nation’s women and children through education. Because of Jacqueline, Grenada has free secondary education for all.

Lélia Gonzalez (1935-1994) was a Brazilian professor, anthropologist, activist, and politician. She was a pioneer in the emergence of Black feminist theory throughout the 1970’s and 80’s. She founded the Unified Black Movement Against Racial Discrimination, and served as a leader and counsel through the re-democratization of post-dictatorship Brazil.

Dominga de la Cruz-Becerril (1909-1981) was a Puerto Rican patriot, activist, and poet known as the “one who picked up the flag” for her act of rescuing the Puerto Rican Flag during the Ponce Massacre of 1937.

Vicki Garvin (1915-2007) was a political activist, Pan-Africanist, workers rights organizer, and civil rights leader first in Harlem and later internationally, in Nigeria, China, and Ghana. She was a prominent figure in the Black Left movement during the height of McCarthyism and greatly shaped the political worldview of Malcolm X. Throughout her life, she served as a mentor for Black activists and trailblazer for radical Black intellectual life and politics.

Bibi Titi Mohamed (1926-2000) was an activist and ngoma artist who fought against colonial rule in Tanzania, helping form the women-led backbone of the TANU. Her work in women’s cultural spheres helped pave the way for Tanzanian nationalism.

Emma Mashinini (1929-2017) risked her life and reputation to fight for Black worker’s rights under apartheid in South Africa. She spent months isolated in prison without chargers for her work as a trade unionist and activist for African and women’s rights.

Aguil Chut-Deng (c.1964-2022) was a freedom fighter during Sudan’s second civil war. After immigrating to Australia, she dedicated herself to improving the lives of refugees. She believed children and education were the answer to history not repeating itself.

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.

Madame Nwanyeruwa (c. 1920s) organized the Aba Women’s War, a revolt staged by Nigerian women against colonial taxation. Her actions helped ignite a movement that eventually led to the fight for independence in Nigeria.

Muthoni Kirima (1930-2023) was a top ranking female fighter in the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonialism in Kenya. She led groups in guerrilla warfare to reclaim land and independence and became the only woman to have attained the high rank of Field Marshal.