Courtesy Library of Congress.
The United States doesn't exist in isolation. The nation has affected the world community through diplomacy, imperialism, war, cultural exports, and the global economy. Other countries and immigrants to the US have also had a profound influence on the course of American history.
Women play a key role in the story of the United States in the world community. The country excluded them from formal posts as diplomats until the twentieth century. But they have found many other ways to cross borders and forge transnational connections. American women have joined global movements for peace, suffrage, feminism, and anti-colonialism. Many have traveled around the world as missionaries or members of the Armed Forces. Foreign-born women have made the US their new temporary or permanent home. They have enriched American culture and society and often challenged the nation to live up to its stated values. Women artists, performers, and writers have driven cultural exchange across borders.
Women's experiences vary as much out in the wider world as they do at home. Explore some of their stories here.
Peace
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PersonHelen KellerHelen Keller's activism against war and imperialism forms a crucial part of her multifaceted legacy.
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PersonYuri KochiyamaJapanese American civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama advocated for nuclear disarmament and anti-colonial movements.
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PersonRosika SchwimmerAmerican officials denied the citizenship application of Hungarian immigrant and activist Rosika Schwimmer due to her pacifist beliefs.
Women's Rights
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PersonCarrie Chapman CattThe outbreak of World War I pitted Carrie Chapman Catt's suffragist and pacifist commitments against each other.
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ArticleThe International History of US SuffrageWomen's rights activists from the United States and other parts of the world collaborated across national borders.
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PodcastMary C. Terrell's Transnational ActivismThis podcast episode explores the transnational organizing of African American women at the turn of the 20th century.
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Places OfPan-American Feminist OrganizationsThese places illustrate how feminists used international conferences and organizations to pursue women’s equality throughout the Americas.
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Places OfPan-American Feminism & Labor RightsThis article features some of the places related to feminists who pursued women’s and labor rights across borders.
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PlaceSan Francisco Civic CenterIn 1945, 1000s of representatives from 50 countries met in the San Francisco Civic Center Historic District to organize the United Nations.
Arts and Culture
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PersonElizabeth Taylor GreenfieldElizabeth Taylor Greenfield was the first African American opera singer who became popular in the United States and Europe.
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PersonSissieretta JonesSissieretta Jones was an internationally famous singer who was the first African American to perform at Carnegie Hall.
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SingerJenny LindJenny Lind, known as the "Swedish Nightingale," was a worldwide singing sensation who visited Mammoth Cave with her tour company.
Women in Wartime
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ArticleWomen in World War IFive million men were mobilized for service in the Great War. Over nine million women mobilized themselves.
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PersonKatherine Ah Lan LoweIn this striking photo, Katherine Ah Lan Lowe and four other women hold a powerful firehose steady in the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
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Article CollectionWomen in World War IIExplore the diverse stories of American women in uniform, at work, and in their homes and communities during World War II.
Six Women Pioneers of American Diplomacy
This State Department exhibit highlights six women pioneers of American diplomacy.
Her Diplomacy
This resource from the US State Department honors trailblazing women in diplomacy.
More Stories of Women in the World Community
Showing results 1-10 of 29
- Type: Person
Eslanda Cardozo Goode Robeson was an author and anthropologist who wrote about African decolonization, African American civil rights, and international politics.
- Type: Article
The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army, created during World War II. One hundred and fifty thousand women served in the WAC during the war. Their noncombat jobs ranged from switchboard operators to mechanics to bakers and beyond. This page collects information about the parks, historic places, people, and stories connected to the history of the WAC.
- Type: Article
An important part of salsa music is the bands who play the music that people sing, dance, and listen to. While a few bands might include women among their musicians, the majority of salsa bands, performers, and producers are male. Like in many musical communities dominated by men, women have formed orquestas femeninas, or all-female bands, in Afro Latin music to have agency over the music they make and to express their femininity.
- Type: Article
Known for her fashion and performance, Celia Cruz is honored as the “Queen of Salsa” for her role as the Afro Cuban diva who came to represent salsa music for audiences across the world.
- Boston National Historical Park
Margaret Foley
- Type: Person
- Locations: Boston National Historical Park
Suffragist Margaret Foley relied on her captivating personality and trained voice to draw attention to women’s suffrage in Boston. She became known as "the Heckler" for confronting politicians on the campaign trail about their position on women's suffrage.
- Boston African American National Historic Site
Nancy Prince
- Type: Person
- Locations: Boston African American National Historic Site
As member of the Black Beacon Hill community, Nancy Prince participated in abolitionist societies and spoke out against slavery. Her activism reached new levels when she confronted a slave catcher in 1847.
- Type: Article
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, women’s rights activists in North, Central, and South America fought for women’s social, economic, and political equality. They realized that their efforts intersected with women’s struggles for equality throughout the Americas.
- Type: Article
Building a movement involves both conflict and cooperation. During the early 1900s, feminists in North, Central, and South America navigated these dynamics at international organizations and conferences. A feminist is someone who believes that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men. These platforms helped feminists to recognize their shared goals across borders and build transnational networks.
- Type: Place
Between April and June 1945, thousands of representatives from 50 countries met in various buildings in San Francisco Civic Center Historic District to organize the United Nations (UN) and draft its Charter.
- Boston African American National Historic Site
Edmonia Lewis
- Type: Person
- Locations: Boston African American National Historic Site
As the first internationally recognized African American and Native American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis overcame several barriers to achieve international recognition and acclaim as an artist.
Last updated: December 7, 2023