There are so many women who have made indelible marks on American history, from advocating for social change to risking their lives to assist a cause they believed in, to breaking barriers both behind the scenes and on the public stage, making an impact on every facet of life.
Since we’re coming up on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we wanted to do a deep dive into the lives of the women who have helped shape the America we know today. Some of these women are well known, while others have not received the recognition they deserve.
And as a special twist, we’ve decided to focus on fictional biographies. Now a popular genre in literature, these novels are based on real people and events, but are brought to life through storytelling, often from the historical figure’s viewpoint. It’s a fun way to learn about history and feel transported to another time.
No matter your interest, chances are a woman was involved, so take a look through our picks highlighting women who have played crucial roles in history, both recent and more distant.
And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton
And They Called it Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton (Berkley 2020)
The life of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is a story we are usually familiar with. Out of the context of “JFK’s wife,” however, her individual story can sometimes be forgotten. In this fictionalized memoir, Thornton places us in Jackie’s shoes as she fills the roles of senator’s wife, dedicated mother, first lady and an icon in her own right. After JFK’s death, we evolve with Jackie as she heals and forges a new identity all on her own. The details about her extraordinary life draw the reader in and give us a chance to walk a while in her shoes. (Read our full review.)
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking 2014)
Hetty “Handful” is an enslaved woman in early 19th-century Charleston, suffocating under the bondage she is born into. Sarah Grimké, the daughter of Hetty’s master, has big aspirations but feels hemmed in by social limits on women. When Hetty is “gifted” to Sarah, a lifelong journey begins that tackles slavery, female relationships and suffrage. While the real-life Hetty did not survive to taste freedom, this novel nonetheless explores a relationship not often written about and gives us additional and powerful insight into arguably the most important movements in American history.
Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes
Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes (HTPH Press 2020)
Sisters Tennessee Claflin and Victoria Woodhull are determined to make their mark on American history. In 1868, on the eve of the Gilded Age, they hatch a plan to take the suffrage movement, as well as American politics, by storm. Using real news reporting from the time, Hayes reconstructs the sisters’ plans, struggles, scandals and impact on the women’s rights movement. This story of these extraordinary women will leave readers questioning where history ends and fiction begins. Regardless of what is and isn’t true, these sisters will inspire you to break barriers of your own.
White Houses by Amy Bloom
White Houses by Amy Bloom (Random House 2018)
Eleanor Roosevelt’s story is far deeper than her role as First Lady, and in White Houses, Amy Bloom depicts her relationship with “first friend,” journalist Lenora Hickock. The bond between these two women becomes a lasting love affair, as Hickock becomes far more involved with the Roosevelts than she ever imagined. Bloom went through thousands of letters between the two women to reconstruct the power of their connection, bringing this “open secret” into the light. (Watch our interview with Amy Bloom about the book.)
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen (William Morrow 2012)
Many of us have probably never heard of Mary Bowser. A freed slave who risked everything to spy for the Union during the Civil War, Bowser posed as a slave in Confederate president Jefferson Davis’ house. Using her photographic memory, Bowser pretended to be illiterate while transmitting the information she read to Union leaders. There is very little information about Bowser to be found, since records on Black people were not kept during that time. Leveen uses her expertise as a historian and what little information is known about Bowser and the time to paint a picture of this intelligent and courageous woman.
Terrible Virtue by Ellen Feldman
Terrible Virtue by Ellen Feldman (Harper 2016)
Margaret Sanger’s most famous accomplishment is playing a key role in legalizing contraception. But the whole story of her life, depicted in Terrible Virtue, shows that the impact she has had on society is much larger than just this one achievement. Trained as a nurse, she later fought for social justice, going to prison multiple times while advocating for women’s rights. She opened the first (illegal) birth control clinic in 1916, started Planned Parenthood and helped to pave the way for the modern feminist movement. A complicated and controversial figure in both life and death, Sanger’s extraordinary story is depicted first-hand in this fictionalized biography.
The Black Rose: The Dramatic Story of Madam C.J. Walker, America's First Black Female Millionaire by Tananarive Due
The Black Rose: The Dramatic Story of Madam C.J. Walker, America’s First Black Female Millionaire by Tananarive Due (One World/Ballantine 2000)
With the release of the new Netflix series about Madam C.J. Walker earlier this year, many more people have discovered the story of America’s first Black female millionaire. Born to former slaves in Louisiana, Walker rose from poverty to revolutionize the African-American beauty industry. She advocated for Black female economic independence and opened training programs through which young women earned healthy commissions; later she even opened her own factory, salon and beauty school. Through this model, Walker helped many young Black women become economically successful and independent, and her philanthropic efforts provided assistance and empowerment to the Black community. This in-depth, fictionalized narrative will inspire you to learn even more about this iconic woman.
Her Quiet Revolution by Marianne Monson
Her Quiet Revolution by Marianne Monson (Shadow Mountain 2020)
Senator. Physician. Suffragist. Polygamist. Martha “Mattie” Hughes Cannon was a pioneer in her own time, overcoming incredible obstacles to achieve the goals she set for herself. She received not only a bachelor’s degree, but an MD in the late 1800s, determined to become a healer. Later, she gained notoriety for becoming the fourth wife in a polygamist marriage to a prominent Latter-Day Saint leader, subsequently exiling herself to Europe to avoid testifying against her husband. She later returned to Utah and ran successfully against her own husband to become a state senator (the first woman to do so) and helped put female enfranchisement into the Utah Constitution in 1896. This powerful story of a trailblazer will leave readers inspired by this little-known woman key to American history.
Thanks for a great list of suggestions. It’s far easier for me to find books through a curated list like this than to hunt them down on my own. I’m going to read all of them.