Womanica iHeartPodcasts

Hiratsuka Raichō (1886-1971) was a Japanese feminist and social reformer, who founded a literary magazine by and for women. After becoming a mother, she became an advocate for working women in Japan, fighting for suffrage and better working conditions.

Rebecca Lukens (1794-1854) is known as the first female CEO in the United States. She ran Brandywine Iron Works and Nail Factory, successfully guiding it through a difficult economic recession and a rapidly industrializing workplace.

Lucy Parsons (c.1851-1942) was an anti-capitalist labor organizer.. She founded the Wobblies (Industrial Workers of the World) and The International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), and advocated for the 8-hour workday.

Clara Zetkin (1857-1933) was a prominent German Marxist theorist, activist, and advocate for women's rights. She played a pivotal role in the early socialist and communist movements, particularly in championing women's suffrage and equality. Zetkin also initiated International Women's Day, which is still celebrated globally today as a day of advocacy and solidarity for women's rights.

Florence Knoll Bassett (1917-2019) ushered in a new modern and sleek aesthetic for the American office during the postwar era. The pioneering architect and interior designer believed the design process should incorporate every element — from furniture textiles to artwork to doorknobs. Her work at Knoll Furniture brought us some of the most recognizable  furniture silhouettes from the modernist era — including the iconic “womb chair.”

Mary Macarthur (1880-1921) was a trade unionist who fought for women workers. She founded the National Federation of Women’s Workers, helped pass the 1909 Trade Boards Act, which guaranteed a minimum wage for women workers, and led multiple strikes against employers who refused to pay their workers fairly.