Great American Women

As many thousands of Americans travel to the nation's capital this weekend to express their support for women's rights at the Women's March on Washington, we salute the valuable contributions women make every day — to their communities and the world at large. Click through the photos below for a closer look at 30 remarkable American women whose lives have left lasting legacies in science, politics, sports, business, the arts, and other fields.

Sally Ride (1951–2012)

NASA

Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman in space — also the youngest American in space — inspired generations of women who were blown away by the pleasant-seeming, normal-looking and completely brilliant and driven young woman who burst onto the national radar in 1983. She broke one of the toughest glass ceilings there was — and American women loved her for it.

View more from women inspired by Sally Ride

Geraldine Ferraro (1935–2011)

AP Photo

Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman ever nominated for vice president of the United States. Though she and presidential nominee Walter Mondale lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan, she paved the way for women on both sides of the aisle to be taken seriously as presidential candidates.

View Geraldine Ferraro's obituary

Wilma Mankiller (1945–2010)

Getty Images

The first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, Wilma Mankiller and her administration embarked on infrastructure projects, tripled tribal membership, and improved relations with the U.S. government. She also authored a national best-selling autobiography, 'Mankiller: A Chief and Her People,' along with many other books.

View Wilma Mankiller's obituary

Katherine Dunham (1909–2006)

Getty Images / Corbis / David Lees

A pioneering dancer and choreographer, Katherine Dunham has been called the 'Matriarch and Queen Mother of Black Dance.' During her heyday in the 1940s and '50s, she pushed boundaries as she toured the world, performing ballets like 'Southland' that dramatized the lynching of a black man in the American South.

View Katherine Dunham's obituary