Women’s History Month illuminates the powerful women who have shaped our world. Pittsburgh is no stranger to incredible women leaders, setting an example for future generations and profoundly impacting those they inspired.
Whether in the arts, politics, or science, these women defied convention and deftly stormed past obstacles to protect the truth and beauty they saw in their communities.
Gwendolyn J. Elliott (1945-2007)
One of Pittsburgh’s contemporary leaders, Elliott spent her life overcoming obstacles and championing Pittsburgh’s young girls and women. In 1976, she became one of the city’s first African American female police officers, where she saw firsthand the way law enforcement treated girls. As she rose through the ranks to Sergeant and Commander (the first woman in each post), Elliott’s dedication to the girls of Pittsburgh continued. In 2002, she started Gwen’s Girls, a non-profit that provides opportunities in and out of the classroom for young girls to feel safe, supported, and enriched.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Carson was a scientist and writer who wanted to share the beauty of nature with the world. She spent her childhood outside Pittsburgh and later attended college nearby. Her formal training in zoology led her to a position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she ultimately rose to Editor-in-Chief of all publications. She had a profound interest in using her writing to share the mission of conservation and the splendor of the oceans with the general public. She wrote several novels and articles that became widely popular before turning her attention to the growing problem of pesticides in U.S. agriculture. She became an activist and spent the remainder of her life challenging governments and industry to protect the planet.
Nellie Bly (1864-1922)
Willing to put her safety on the line for the sake of exposing societal problems, Nellie Bly (the pen name of Elizabeth Cochran Seaman) pioneered a new standard of investigative journalism. Bly began her career at the Pittsburgh Dispatch by writing pieces devoted to exposing poor conditions for working women. Her most famous work includes an exposé of the conditions for women in an insane asylum, an assignment for the New York World that risked her safety in the name of good journalism. Bly also traveled around the world in 72 days and wrote several novels before turning her eye towards industrialization, invention, and foreign reporting. She left a lasting legacy that shapes journalism to this day.
Martha Graham (1894-1991)
World-renowned dancer and choreographer Martha Graham transformed the dance world with her innovative techniques. Graham spent her childhood in Pittsburgh and was introduced to dance when she moved to California as a teenager. Her drive to make dance more personal and raw, rather than just a form of entertainment, fueled her choreography and became the cornerstone of her dance style. The Martha Graham School in New York is the United States’ oldest dance school. Graham choreographed more than 180 compositions during her lifetime and was recognized internationally as a pivotal figure in the arts.
Daisy Elizabeth Adams Lampkin (1883-1965)
Lampkin’s life is a testament to the power of community organization and activism. She made her mark in the early 1900s by organizing groups of Black housewives in Pittsburgh for consumer protests. Her skills, especially as an advocate for Black women’s suffrage, propelled the National Association of Colored Women to recognize her in 1916. She went on to work with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and take a prominent role in state politics. Her work fundraising and building membership rosters for local and national organizations is an enduring example of strong female leadership.
Mary Cardwell Dawson (1894-1962)
An accomplished musician from an early age, Dawson moved to Pittsburgh as a young adult and flourished in the art community. She showcased her talents as an educator by opening the Dawson Cardwell School of Music in town. She later founded the National Negro Opera Company. Her work opening doors to music for all audiences, especially African Americans, was extensive—she started opera guilds in the Midwest and East and trained hundreds of young singers. President John F. Kennedy ultimately appointed her to the National Music Committee.
Lois Weber (1879-1939)
Lois Weber was a female pioneer in the arts born and raised in Allegheny City. She later went on to be the first American female film director. As a child and teen, Weber played piano with church groups that ministered to various communities in the area, including the most downtrodden in hospitals and tenements. Called to perform and to help, Weber became an actress and soon discovered the impact she could have as a writer. Combining her gift for performance with her passion for social issues such as poverty and healthcare, Weber used the brand-new medium of silent film to preach to a bigger audience than she ever thought possible. She was a master of early filmmaking techniques and started her own production company in 1917. She ultimately worked on more than 200 films in some capacity. Her pioneering spirit and refusal to shy away from controversial topics helped pave the way for filmmakers in the generations ahead.
Jane Grey Cannon Swisshelm (1815-1884)
A native of Pittsburgh and an outspoken abolitionist, Swisshelm dedicated her life to reporting on the injustices she saw around her. After teaching and writing for several small papers, she became the first female reporter allowed in the U.S. Senate. She continued to advocate for women’s rights and abolition in the newspapers she controlled. After serving as a nurse during the Civil War, Swisshelm founded her final paper, The Reconstructionist, as one final act of relentless ambition to challenge immoral laws and leaders.
These Pittsburgh women serve as an inspiration to this day for the community and its up-and-coming leaders!
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