Lady Hester Stanhope
In 1810, Lady Hester Stanhope left England for the Mediterranean, sparking a lifelong passion for the region. There, she scandalized with her attire and habits, clad in male Turkish robes, Stanhope rode side-saddle and smoked pipes with sheiks. Unlike much of the grab-and-go archaeology of the time, she petitioned the Ottoman government for permission to dig, and she ended up finding a large statue of a Roman soldier, proving everyone wrong.
Sojourner Truth
Born into slavery, Sojourner Truth escaped to freedom with her infant daughter in 1826. Standing at six feet tall, she became a powerful abolitionist and women's rights advocate, addressing audiences on emancipation, politicians, racism, women’s rights, and segregation. Her famous 1851 speech, "Ain't I a Woman?", remains iconic and still touches many people around the globe.
Lilian Bland
Lilian Bland was a trouser-wearing horse enthusiast and avid hunter, who lived for thrills and speed. In 1910, she began to build a biplane glider of her design. She cheekily named it the Mayfly, because as she said at the time it “may fly, may not.” While this experiment didn’t work, later that year Bland successfully flew her creation 30 feet, making her the first woman to fly a motor-powered plane of her design. |
