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Mar 18, 2024 - News

Women's History Month, in photos

Wilborn P. Nobles III

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From left: Leah Ward Sears, Rosalynn Carter and Gladys Knight. Photos: Ric Feld/AP Photo, L. Cohen/WireImage, HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Happy Women's History Month! March is the time of the year when we celebrate the contributions that women have made in Atlanta and around the world.

Axios Atlanta put together a photo album highlighting the women who have helped shape Georgia throughout its history.

(Original Caption) Coretta Scott King (R), widow of slain civil rights leader Dr. Matin Luther King Jr., confers with Dr. king's sister, Christine King Farris (L) while Rosa Parks, the Black woman who sparked the Civil Rights movement, goes over her notes prior to her speech 10/13 at the MLK Center. The occasion was a tribute to parks, the "Motehr of the Civil rights movement," which began when the black seamstress refused to giver her bus seat up to a white passenger in 1955. — Civil Rights Leader Coretta Scott King (R), widow of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., confers with King's sister, Christine King Farris (L) while Rosa Parks, the Black woman who sparked the Civil Rights Movement, goes over her notes prior to her speech Oct. 13, 1988, at the MLK Center. Photo: Bettmann Archive

(Original Caption) First woman of Georgia to run for Legislature. Mrs. B.M. Boykin, President of the Atlanta Women's Club is out for a seat in the legislature. she is the first woman of the state of Georgia to become a candidate for the office. — B.M. Boykin, president of the Atlanta Women's Club, was the first woman to run for a seat in the Georgia legislature in April 1922. Photo: Bettmann Archive

(Original Caption) 3/30/26- Washington, DC- The above photo shows- L. to R.--Mrs. Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia, America's first woman Sentor from Georgia and Senator Walter F. George of Atlanta, GA, who today called on President Coolidge to pay their respects. Mrs. Felton, aged 91, is now in Washington to attend the unvieling of the statue of Dr. Crawford Long, a Georgian in the Capitol's statuary Hall. Photo shows waist up view of the two Senators. — Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia was the first woman senator. However, she only served one day and she promoted white supremacist beliefs and advocated for segregation. Photo: Bettmann archive

(Original Caption) Photo shows Miss Alexa Stirling, of Atlanta, Georgia, American woman golf champion, taken late last month on links at Holyoke, England, just before her first game on British soil, preparing for the coming British Open Golf Championship events. (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images) — Miss Alexa Stirling, of Atlanta, an American woman golf champion, at Holyoke, England, on January 01, 1920, just before her first game on British soil, preparing for the coming British Open Golf Championship events. Photo: George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images

UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1899: Bazoline Estelle Usher, Atlanta University student, half-length portrait, facing right. She went on to become a civil rights pioneer and the first African-American supervisor of the Atlanta Negro schools. (Photo by Buyenlarge/Getty Images) — A 1899 portrait of Bazoline Estelle Usher, an Atlanta University student, who went on to become a civil rights pioneer and the first Black supervisor of the Atlanta Negro schools. Photo: Buyenlarge/Getty Images

Peace Corps volunteer (and mother of future US President Jimmy Carter) Lillian Gordy Carter (1898 - 1983) administers an injection (presumably a vaccine) to a young girl in a clinic, Godrej Colony, India, June 1968. (Photo by Vern Richey/Peace Corps/National Archives and Records Administration/PhotoQuest/Getty Images) — Peace Corps volunteer, and mother of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Lillian Gordy Carter administering an injection (presumably a vaccine) to a young girl in a clinic in India in June 1968. Photo: Vern Richey/Peace Corps/National Archives and Records Administration/PhotoQuest/Getty Images

(Original Caption) 2/25/1946-Washington, DC: Mrs. Helen Douglas Mankin, Atlanta, GA, lawyer, arrives at the Capitol to be sworn in as a representative from Georgia, to suceed Rep. Robert Ramspeck, who resigned. Mrs. Mankin, a Democrat, defeated 19 contestants for the vacancy. — Atlanta native Helen Douglas Mankin arrives at the Capitol on Feb. 25, 1946, to be sworn in as a representative to succeed Rep. Robert Ramspeck, who resigned. Mankin, a Democrat, defeated 19 contestants for the vacancy. She was the second woman to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. Photo: Bettmann Archives

Dr. Sara Branham at her desk, summarizing a report on a "mouse protection test." c. 1938. Photo: Courtesy of the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum. — Oxford, Georgia, native Sara Branham Matthews at her desk, summarizing a report on a "mouse protection test" in 1938. She discovered a treatment for spinal meningitis. Photo: Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum

Woodrow Wilson's first wife Ellen Louise Axson stands at the White House with her three daughters, Eleanor, Margaret, and Jessie (left to right). (Photo by Bachrach/Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) — Savannah, Georgia, native Ellen Louise Axson stands at the White House with her three daughters, Eleanor, Margaret, and Jessie (left to right) on Jan. 1, 1910. Axson is a former First Lady and the first wife of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. Photo: Bachrach/Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Novelist Margaret Mitchell sits at her desk at home in Georgia following the announcement that her novel Gone with the Wind had won the Pulitzer Prize. — Novelist Margaret Mitchell sits at her desk at home in Georgia on May 1, 1937, following the announcement that her novel "Gone with the Wind" had won the Pulitzer Prize. Photo: Bettmann Archive

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 10: "The Color Purple" author Alice Walker attends the "The Color Purple" Broadway Opening Night at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on December 10, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images) — Georgia native and "The Color Purple" author Alice Walker attends the "The Color Purple" Broadway Opening Night at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on December 10, 2015, in New York. Photo: Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images

A 1960 photo of Georgia native Gladys Knight & the Pips. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

American NASA astronaut Susan Still and American NASA astronaut Janice E Voss review an Inflight Maintenance (IFM) procedure during one the daily planning sessions in the Spacelab Science Module in support of the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1) mission, American NASA astronaut Gregory T Linteris works at a laptop computer in the background, during sSpace Shuttle Columbia mission STS-94, 1st July to 17th July 1997. The PGBA was stored on the mid-deck for transport, and was later installed in the Expedite Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) rack for the duration of the flight before returning it to the mid-deck for entry and landing. (Photo by Space Frontiers/Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) — American NASA astronaut and Augusta, Georgia, native Susan Still and American NASA astronaut Janice E. Voss review an inflight maintenance procedure during during a Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-94 in July 1997. Photo: Space Frontiers/Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Charlayne Hunter, the first African American woman admitted to the University of Georgia, leaves the Registrar's Office on campus after being enrolled as a student.(Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) — Charlayne Hunter, the first Black woman admitted to the University of Georgia, leaves the registrar's office on campus after being enrolled as a student in 1961. Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - AUGUST 05: President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BET Holdings, Inc Debra L. Lee, Honoree Suzanne Shank and Honoree Congresswoman Maxine Waters attends Black Girls Rock! 2017 at NJPAC on August 5, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET) — Savannahian and Siebert Williams Shank & Co. CEO Suzanne Shank standing between former BET CEO Debra L. Lee and Congresswoman Maxine Waters at the Black Girls Rock! 2017 event on Aug. 5, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET

AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 22: Track & Field: 1956 Summer Olympics, USA Mildred McDaniel victorious on medal stand shaking hands with IOC President Avery Brundage after winning long jump, Melbourne, AUS 11/22/1956--12/8/1956 (Photo by John G. Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X4258) — Atlantan Mildred McDaniel shaking hands with International Olympic Committee president Avery Brundage after winning a 1956 Summer Olympic gold medal and setting a world record in the high jump in Melbourne, Australia, in Nov. 22, 1956. Photo: John G. Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

(Original Caption) America's Wyomia Tyus leads the girls as she races to cross finish line in the women's 100M dash in 11.4 seconds to win the gold medal. Second was America's Edith McGuire (2nd from front), while Poland's Ewa Klobukowska was third, and America's M. E. White (foreground) was fourth, all timed at 11.6 seconds. — Griffin, Georgia, native Wyomia Tyus leading in the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games women's 100-meter dash to cross finish line in 11.4 seconds to win the gold medal on Oct. 16, 1964. Second place went to Atlantan Edith McGuire (second from front), who also won gold in the 200-meter dash and two silver medals at the Olympics. Photo: Bettmann Archives

Alice Coachman, (C) of the US, along with the winner DJ Tyler (L), of Great Britain, and MOM Ostermeyer, of France, stand on a podium at Wembley Stadium to receive their awards for the Olympic women's high jump, London, England 8/7/1948. Coachman was the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. (Photo by Bettmann via Getty Images) — Albany, Georgia, native Alice Coachman, (C) stands on a podium at Wembley Stadium to receive the gold medal award for the Olympic women's high jump in London, England, on Aug. 7, 1948. Coachman was the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Photo: Bettmann via Getty Images

GOTEBORG, SWEDEN: Gwen Torrence of the United States celebrates her win on the 100 meters Final on August 7th, 1995 in Goteborg, Sweden. (Photo by Sergio J. Carmona/Getty Images) — Atlantan Gwen Torrence celebrates her gold medal win in the 100-meter dash final at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Goteborg, Sweden, on Aug. 7, 1995. Photo: Sergio J. Carmona/Getty Images

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Jasmine Guy and Clifton Davis (Photo by Moses Robinson/WireImage) — Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, actress Jasmine Guy and Clifton Davis during the 22nd Annual Mayor's Masked Ball on Dec. 17, 2005. Franklin served as Atlanta's first woman mayor. Guy was raised in Atlanta. Photo: Moses Robinson/WireImage

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 13: White House Public Engagement Advisor Keisha Lance Bottoms (R) and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre hold a press briefing at the White House on January 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. The two spoke on the President's upcoming visit to the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia for a Martin Luther King Jr. service. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) — Then-White House Public Engagement Advisor Keisha Lance Bottoms (R) and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre hold a press briefing at the White House on Jan. 13, 2023, in Washington, DC. Bottoms is an Atlanta native who previously served as mayor of Atlanta. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

ATLANTA - May 5: Former President Jimmy Carter, co-chairman of the Heal Our Children/Heal The World initiative with Singer/Songwriter TLC, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Rosalynn Carter, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Jimmy Carter and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes backstage at The Omni Coliseum in Atlanta Georgia. May 5, 1993 (Photo By Rick Diamond/Getty Images) — Former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter with TLC's Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta in 1993. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Editor's note: This photo essay has been updated with additional context about Rebecca Felton.

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