Sacheen Littlefeather is an Indigenous activist who is most famous for delivering the speech on Marlon Brando's behalf, turning down the Oscar he won for the Godfather. But Sacheen's accomplishments are many and varied - she studied Native health and was responsible for assisting hospitals with accommodating Native health practices. She has worked on many documentaries regarding Native American cultures and even helped found an organization whose aim was amplifying the presence of Indigenous actors in Hollywood. To this day she brings awareness to Native issues and is an elder in her community.
Read MoreWilma Mankiller was an activist and tribal politician, the first woman to be elected to the position of Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She faced several health crises and through it all worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Nation, published several books, and even received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama. This woman was a powerhouse and an absolute legend.
Read MoreMary Church Terrell was the child of former slaves and an activist all her life. She was one of the first Black women to earn a college degree in the U.S, she traveled the world, she was at one time the president of the NACW (National Association of Colored Women), and, in her 80's, inspired the supreme court case that would make Brown V. The Board of Education possible. She was always looking for opportunities to inspire Black and white people to action for civil rights, and was an important figure in the movement up until the moment of her death in 1953. Mary Church Terrell was a good witch and bad bitch whose work in her era made a lot of other activism possible today.
Read MoreHappy Halloween, Witches! Today we're discussing Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson, a New Orleans-based Civil War era prostitute and cold-blooded murderer, who loved to brawl and often used her custom-made knife to brutally stab men who crossed her. And because it's double-stuffed for Halloween, we also discussed the spooky historical origins of the Bloody Mary ritual!
Read MoreSpiritualism was a religious movement that came into the popularity in the mid 1800's, and remained strong through the 1920's. The movement insisted that spirits could reach through the veil to speak with their loved ones in the living world, and psychics raked in the cash to commune with the spirits of desperate widows and grieving families. Enter: Rose Mackenberg, famed "Ghost Detective" on a team of salaried psychic debunkers organized by Harry Houdini himself. Rose exposed hundreds of frauds and even testified before Congress about psychic fraud in the United States. She dedicated her life to making sure vulnerable people were not taken advantage of by Spiritualist fakers, though it didn't hurt that she got to wear fun disguises and work side-by-side with Harry Houdini!
Read MoreShirley Chisholm was the first Black American to run for president of the United States, campaigning on a platform of inclusivity and equality. While she didn't win that election, she remained a tireless public servant, fighting for her constituents in Congress for two decades. She fought racism and sexism every step of the way, and she did it in a way that could bring the house down. She wasn't known as Fighting Shirley for nothing!
Read MoreSociety has been perpetuating the myth that women are weak and incapable since the birth of the patriarchy. Edith Garrud said "fuck that shit" and taught martial arts to a bunch of seriously brave suffragettes, creating the elite group of thirty fighters cheekily dubbed The Bodyguard. These women went toe to toe with cops at rallies (literally brawling with them) to protect prominent suffragettes from arrest, used disguises to evade detection, and lots of other CIA-style tricks to protect fellow activists - and it was all thanks to the badass Edith Garrud.
Read MoreIf you don't know the name Tura Satana, then sit down and listen, because she was a lot of things over the course of her life - survivor of a Japanese internment camp, leader of a 1950's girl gang, a badass martial artist, a burlesque dancer who once received a proposal from Elvis, and a cult B movie film icon. But above all, Tura marched to the beat of her own drum. doing exactly what she wanted at the time and nothing less. We're so excited to be talking about her for #AAPI, but honestly, we'd be talking about her no matter what. Tura Satana was a true bad bitch.
Read MoreIt's April Fools Day, but we're not fooling around with this week's episode. We've all heard of Ghengis Khan and his Golden Horde, but have you heard of his great-great granddaughter, Khutulun Khan? She was a master of horse riding, a skilled archer, a battle tactician, a war general, and an undefeated wrestler, whose opponents were primarily men. Her amazing accomplishments are still celebrated by Mongolian wrestlers today!
Read MoreLeona Vicario was a well-educated young woman of nobility who grew up in Spanish colonial Mexico. After beginning a relationship with a revolutionary named Quintana Roo, Leona made it her mission to help Mexico gain Independence - and spent a majority of her fortune funding the revolutionary effort. When Spanish investigators learned of her involvement, she fled, and continued her fight for independence as a boots-on-the-ground revolutionary. Leona was one seriously bad bitch.
Read MoreMaría Jesús Alvarado Rivera was a Peruvian journalist and feminist at the turn of the 20th century. She was inspired by her own childhood teacher and went on to speak about the importance of full equality for women in Peru. The most incredible thing about Maria was her dedication to achieving full equality for women - not only the vote, which was the primary feminist topic of the time. Later on, she got her message across through her work in the arts and the theater and though she lived long enough to see women achieve the right to vote in Peru, the victory was bittersweet because women's equality is still out of reach today. Maria was a seriously good witch, and we're honored to feature her during Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month.
Read MoreCarmen Contreras-Bozak was the first Puerto Rican woman to go overseas as a codebreaker for the army in WW2. She joined at a time when women's contributions to the war were not seen as military, and they were therefore not entitled to the same benefits as male soldiers, such as access to VA hospitals or overseas payment. Carmen was a patriot in the truest sense - a young American woman born in the territory of Puerto Rico who found a life she loved in the mainland, and volunteered without hesitation to defend it.
Read MoreBrenda Berkman has been fighting tirelessly for women's rights her entire life. Starting in the late 70's - early 80's, when she won a lawsuit in New York that resulted in the admission of women into the New York fire department for the first time in history, to her courageous contribution as a first responder during 911, to her advocacy work for women firefighters and first responders across the country in the years after 9/11. Brenda Berkman is tireless, fearless, and still going strong.
Read More”Jeanne de Clisson was a 14th century Bretton noblewoman who is today mostly remembered for her 13-year long career as a pirate and privateer in the waters of English Channel. Born in the high nobility of the northern French province, she swore revenge against the France for the execution of her husband that was approved by the King Philip VI himself. During the time of her naval war, she gained the nickname "Lioness of Brittany", which is remembered vividly in the modern history and pop culture.”
She was one bad bitch roaming the open seas until she returned to her good witch ways.
(from: http://www.annebonnypirate.com/famous-female-pirates/jeanne-de-clisson/)
Read More"Stagecoach" Mary Fields was a hard drinkin', hard fightin', hard swearin' convent carpenter, former slave, and beloved mail carrier extraordinaire in the Old Montana West. She was the baddest bitch you'll ever meet and don't you forget it.
Read MoreTilly Devine and Kate Leigh were two of Australia's most notorious kingpins. And yes, they were women. They ruled the Australian criminal underground for at least half a decade during Prohibition and they did it while fostering their bitter, violent rivalry. Even when they were dogged by police, it was almost impossible to get these two behind bars. These two were seriously bad bitches (not in the role-model kind of way) - and you're gonna love their story.
Read MorePetra Herrera was a soldadera and hero of the Mexican Revolution who was known as a great leader, a fabulous marksman, and a destroyer of bridges whose story has been put together from eye witness accounts because the official papers conspicuously left her achievements out. We say screw That! Petra Herrera was one seriously bad bitch and we are gonna tell you about her.
Read MoreOsh Tisch, or, Finds Them and Kills Them, was a warrior, an expert in sewing, tanning, and all “women’s work”, a leader in her community, and one of the last of the Crow Nation baté, a Two Spirit spiritual leader of the Crow Nation.
Read MoreJulie D’Aubigny was an openly bisexual, sword-fighting, gang dueling, opera singing badass woman who did her thing despite societal customs and restrictions in 17th century France.
Read MoreQiu Jin was a poet, a feminist, a revolutionary. She liked wine, swordplay, wearing men’s clothes, and teaching others to fight for the revolution that would ultimately bring about the downfall of China’s Imperial system. She was a seriously bad bitch.
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