Oil painting of an older woman from the late 1800's; "The Spinster" painted by Evert Larock

Original Spin: On the History of the Spinster

The cultural and economic history of the spinster.
"Olive Oatman, 1857" by unattributed - Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olive_Oatman,_1857.png#/media/File:Olive_Oatman,_1857.png

Olive Oatman: The Girl With the Mojave Tattoo

The mysterious story of Olive Oatman who returned after years of captivity with the Mojave.
Sara Plummer Lemmon Botanist

Sara Plummer Lemmon: Pioneering Botanist

Botany didn’t just intrigue and entertain Sara Plummer Lemmon—it deeply affected her personal life.
Painting of Mary Anning

Mary Anning and Other Forgotten Female Fossilists

The accomplishments of Mary Anning and other early female fossilists, geologists and natural historians
Female prisoners at Parchman sewing, c. 1930 
By Mississippi Department of Archives and History [see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons

A History of Women’s Prisons

While women's prisons historically emphasized the virtues of traditional femininity, the conditions of these prisons were abominable.
Hellen Keller and Mark Twain in side by side black and white photographs

History’s Other Odd Couple: Mark Twain and Helen Keller

Helen Keller and Mark Twain's unusual friendship.
Josephine Baker laying on top of a tiger rug in black and white

The Fuss About Josephine Baker

 A new one-woman Broadway show puts Josephine Baker back in the public consciousness.
Older photograph of Florence Foster Jenkins standing agains a flowery backdrop while holding a fully feathered fan

Florence Foster Jenkins, World’s Worst Opera Diva

Florence Foster Jenkins, the legendary diva of awfulness, known as the world's worst opera singer.
An older black and white headshot of Nelly Bly beside the cover of Round the World with Nelly Bly

Nellie Bly, Girl Reporter

A look back on Nellie Bly and the era of "stunt-reporting."