During Women's History Month, we are honored to shine the spotlight on some women who worked to remove social barriers in the 20th Century. Here is a selection of noteworthy accomplishments found in our footage and photo collections.

Women Strike for Peace

In November 1961, 50,000 women in 60 cities rallied with a one day strike to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Women for Peace Strike in 1961. Their slogan, "End the Arms Race not the Human Race".

Shirley Chisholm

The first black woman elected to the United States Congress was Shirley Chisholm in 1968. She continued to make history when she ran for US President as the first black candidate. Chisholm dedicated her life to fighting against discrimination and inequality. She also co-founded National Organization for Women (NOW) with Betty Friedan and Muriel Fox. 

Women's Roles in the Workplace Begin to Shatter Stereotypes

During the Second World War, factories and shipyards were filled with women in roles typically reserved for men. They not only filled the void while men were in combat, women excelled in these industries with their skills.

Betty Skelton

The aviation and motorsports hall of fame would not be complete without Betty Skelton. Betty was born in 1926 and took her first flight at the age of 8. During her career she picked up the title “First Lady of Firsts” as her passion for speed and being a daredevil led to many record breaking awards. She competed in the Indy 500 and Daytona Speed Trials, paving the way for other women in male dominated races.

Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto was the first female prime minister of Pakistan and held two terms in office. She advocated for women's rights until her assassination in 2017. As the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority country, she left a lasting impression on young women throughout the region.

Women in Music and Arts

Legends, such as Tina Turner and Janis Joplin pushed boundaries and redefined our cultural landscape. These unique stories, often include resilience and triumph over adversity and offer us a closer look at the journey towards equality.

Join us in celebrating achievements of women around the world through our new Video Playlist for March, Women Trailblazers.

From women making strides in politics and science to dominating the music scene and breaking workplace barriers, imagery of female empowerment continues with Global ImageWorks.