Womanica

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Women Behind the Curtain: Mary Prince Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

Mary Prince (c. 1788 - c. 1833) was the first Black woman to publish an autobiography about her experiences being enslaved. Her narrative, The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Related by Herself contributed to the growing Abolition movement in Britain and the eventual passage of the Slavery Abolition Act.

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This month, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal women overlooked in their own lifetimes or in our historical accounts of the eras in which they lived. We're talking about the activists, thinkers, leaders, artists, and innovators history has forgotten.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, and Abbey Delk. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Lillian Moller Gilbreth Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

Lillian Moller Gilbreth (1878-1972) left a lasting impact on what we think of today as work-life balance. Her life was immortalized in the novel-turned film Cheaper by the Dozen. But she was also an engineer, a psychologist, a professor – in addition to being a mother of 12 children. She studied workplace efficiency and designed inventions that made worklife and homelife a little easier.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Harriet Martineau Nov 27, 2023

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Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) was a journalist and writer. She is often considered the first female sociologist known for popularizing political economy. Over the course of her lifetime, she wrote 35 books and countless essays and articles spanning topics from anti-slavery to religion and health.

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Harriet Martineau

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Women Behind the Curtain: Anna Komnene Nov 24, 2023

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Anna Komnene (1083-1153) has mostly been remembered in history for the failed coup to take control of the Byzantine Empire from her younger brother. But she was also a dedicated historian, and her 13 volume historical work — the Alexiad — is one of the most extensive written during the Middle Ages.

For Further Reading:

The Misunderstood Byzantine Princess and Her Magnum Opus

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Women Behind the Curtain: Marianne North Nov 23, 2023

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Marianne North (1830-1890) was an English Victorian botanical artist. At a time when Victorian women were encouraged to stay home, Marianne traveled across the globe, painting plants in their natural habitats.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Soraya Tarzi Nov 22, 2023

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Soraya Tarzi (1899-1968) advocated for education for all and for women’s empowerment during her time as Queen of Afghanistan. She was instrumental in leading the country into an era of progress and modernity after its emancipation from British rule. During her time as Queen, she fought for the removal of the forced veil and for a woman’s right to study and work.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Fanny Mendelssohn Nov 21, 2023

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Fanny Mendelssohn Hansel (1805-1847) was a German composer and pianist. She wrote hundreds of works, but for generations it has gone largely unnoticed and in some cases was attributed to her brother, Felix.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Cleoma Falcon Nov 20, 2023

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Cleoma Falcon (1906-1941) was a Cajun musician from French-speaking Louisiana. A groundbreaking artist – and one of the few women from her culture who were performing live at the time – she helped define the Cajun genre and popularize it beyond Cajun country.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Fannie Barrier Williams Nov 17, 2023

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Frances “Fannie” Barrier Williams (1855-1944) was a progressive activist who was part of the first wave of feminism in America. She co-founded the NAACP and fought hard for the rights of Black women, advocating for respect for their intellect and the right to vote.

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Women Behind the Curtain: Vera Rubin Nov 16, 2023

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Vera Rubin (1928-2016) was an American astronomer whose groundbreaking findings provided evidence for the existence of dark matter. Though her findings were groundbreaking, she was never awarded as such. As a woman astronomer, Vera was an early pioneer, and worked to make the field more accessible to women after her.

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