The Remarkable Women of our History …

Aunnalise P. WoodsKaitlyn P. WiselogelShea A. CardenasRakia S. Falcon

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Gender discrimination and obstacles make it that much harder for our women to succeed. As we

know, life is not easy for women and obstacles are apart of life but we can either sob about how rotten the world is to women or work hard to

overcome those obstacles. There are many women who have carved their niche in the U.S. history but these particular women: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, Helen Keller, Madam C.J Walker and Rosa Parks all

came from different ethnicities, backgrounds, regions of the country, and lived in different

periods of time but what they shared was integrity, strength and determination to surpass the obvious setbacks in hopes of reaching their ultimate goal.

Rather their intentions may had been personal success, civil activism, seizing gender, racial and disability inequalities they all reached their own achievements changing the world as we know it

today, and for that they’ve left everlasting imprints of their significance in our history.

"There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers." —Susan B. Anthony

“Best Selling Latin Artist of the 90’s”

Selena Quintanilla Perez …• Born April 16, 1971 in Corpus Christi,

Texas• She was born into a time where Mexican

music in the United States was a male predominate area.

• Became the lead singer of the band Selena Y Los Dinos (which consisted of her brother, sister and herself)

• Selena Y Los Dinos jump started her successful career as a Latina Female Artist.

Her significance

• Billboard Magazine awarded Selena as the Best Selling Latin Artist of the Decade (90's), selling approximately 18,000,000 albums.

• In 1995 Selena was named the fastest selling female artist in history.

• Selena's "Dreaming Of You” album sold out in one day.• Selena spent more weeks at number 1 on Billboard Top 50 Latin

charts than any other artist.• 'Amor Prohibido' was number 1 for 78 weeks, which beats

Gloria Estefan's 58 weeks.• In 1993, she won a Grammy for Best Mexican-American

performance for her album Selena Live.

Selena’s Journey to Success

Selena, a Mexican-American overcame the male dominance of Latin music and entertainment. Selena was the only Latin and FEMALE artist ever to place 5 consecutive albums on Billboard’s 200 top Selling albums in the U.S. and UK which has only been accomplished by Elvis, The Beatles and Garth Brooks. At the time of her tragic murder on March 31, 1995, Selena was known as “The Queen of Tejano”.

African American Businesswoman, Hair Care Entrepreneur and

PhilanthropistBorn Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867 on a Delta, Louisiana plantation, the daughter of former slaves transformed herself from an uneducated farm laborer and laundress into one of the twentieth century's most successful, self-made women entrepreneurs. She was known as an African-American businesswoman, hair care entrepreneur, social activist and philanthropist. During the 1890s, Sarah began to suffer from a scalp ailment that caused her to lose most of her hair. After changing her name to "Madam" C. J. Walker, she founded her own business and began selling Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower, a scalp conditioning and healing formula, which she claimed had been revealed to her in a dream.

“The first female to become a millionaire by her own achievements”

• To promote her products she began an intense sales drive throughout the South and Southeast working on sales and strategies.

• In 1908 she opened a college in Pittsburgh to train her “culturists.”

• Madam’s ambition led her to be labeled as the first known African-American woman to become a self-made millionaire.

• Eventually, her products formed the basis of a thriving national corporation employing at one point over 3,000 people. Her Walker System offered meaningful employment and personal growth to thousands of Black women.

• Within a few years she had created a cosmetics empire and earned a fortune. As a honored figure in business and philanthropy, she endowed educational institutions and supported many organizations to aid the African-American community. i.e. (NAACP)

• The Guinness Book of Records cites Walker as the first female, black or white, who became a millionaire by her own achievements.

• As the wealthiest African-American woman of her time, Walker used her prominent position to oppose racial discrimination, and her massive wealth to support civic, educational and social institutions to assist African-Americans.

"I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground." –Madame C.J. Walker

Helen Keller

• Born in 1880 a healthy baby

• Became ill with “brain fever” at the age of two

(As a result she lost both her sight and hearing)

• In 1887 Anne Sullivan, Keller’s tutor, moved in with the Keller family and lived with

Helen Keller until she died.

• Helen Keller began to learn how to communicate allowing herself to be educated.

“ altered our perception of the disabled and remapped the boundaries of sight and sense.” (Schuur & Jackson, 1999)

Helen Keller overcoming her obstacles…

• During the 19th century it was common for the disability to be sent to

institutions instead Keller’s mother hired a private tutor.

• Keller’s tutor educated her and taught her life long skills and

fundamentals; As a result at the age of 24 Helen had graduated college

(Radcliffe College) with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree. (She was the first deaf blind

woman to receive this degree.)

• Keller traveled around the world and spoke as an advocate for equal rights

• While traveling Helen Keller made ties with Mark Twain, Winston Churchill

and three U.S. Presidents.

• Helen Keller also wrote multiple books about her life.

Her Inspiration for others

• Helen was an Activist for the rights of women,

African Americans and the disability.

• Helped found: American Civil Liberties Union,

Helen Keller International and Helen Keller

National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth and Adults

• She traveled, participated in marches and gave

speeches of anti-discrimination

• Helen Keller died in 1968 but her inspiration to

others will never fade.

Rosa Parks

•She was born February 4, 1913.

•She was born in Tuskegee, Alabama.

•She pasted away in 2005

Her Actions:• On December 1, 1955, she

refused to surrender her seat to a white, male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama public bus.

• This triggered a wave of boycotts throughout the U.S. beginning on December 5, 1955.

Stubborn action results in change!

• She was involved in civil rights movements

• She had to prevail over the segregation laws along with racist peers that believed she was inferior.

• All of her effort and actions helped to bring about more equality laws and seize segregation.