Last updated on March 1, 2022
Celebrating Women’s History Month, we don’t have to venture far to view inspiring women with notable accomplishments who have played a vital role in the history and culture of our own great state and far beyond.
Texas women have marched, rallied and blazed trails to make their voices heard. From politics to business and education to home and hearth, the women of this past century and throughout history have set the standard and paved the way for those to come.
A few of our influential Texas women include:
- Barbara Bush — Founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and served as first lady of the United States from 1989-1993.
- Simone Biles — The most decorated gymnast in American history, Biles received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for speaking out against the abuse of the United States women’s national gymnastics team doctor.
- Barbara Jordan — Lawyer, politician, educator and leader in the civil rights movement, Jordan was the first Southern African American woman elected to the House of Representatives.
- Veronica Escobar — Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the first two Hispanic women elected to Congress.
- Peggy Whitson — Biochemist and NASA Chief Astronaut, Whitson was the first woman to command the International Space Station. She spent 665 days living and working in space, setting a Nasa record in 2017.
- Beyoncé Knowles-Carter — Beyond her accomplishments as an entertainer, Beyoncé is an advocate for women’s rights, racial equality and is cofounder of CHIME FOR CHANGE supporting gender equality.
- Edith Irby Jones — The first black intern at the Baylor College of Medicine and the first woman president of the National Medical Association (1985). As an activist, she worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement.
- Eva Longoria — Actress and philanthropist, Longoria founded Eva’s Heroes, a charity dedicated to young adults with developmental disabilities. The Eva Longoria Foundation supports programs which help Latinas excel in school and attend college.
This is only a sampling of our accomplished and inspiring women. Extraordinary Texas women are all around us. They are our neighbors, colleagues, mentors, who may never make some list or gain recognition, but whose impact will be felt for generations to come.