Women - Women's Innovations

Ruth Marianna Moskowicz (AKA Mosco) Handler

💼 Businesswoman 💡 Inventor

Details

💼 Businesswoman 💡 Inventor

the Handlers were forced to resign from Mattel in 1975 after the Securities and Exchange Commission investigated the company for falsifying financial documents
was the youngest of ten children
at age six months old, her parents sent her to live with her older sister Sarah & she remained with her until she was 19
worked at Sarah’s drugstore/soda fountain
Barbie was named after her daughter Barbara & Ken was named after her son Kenneth
was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1970 & had a modified radical mastectomy
the 1st Barbie sold for $3 & 300,000 (some sources say over 350,000) were sold the 1st year
was charged with fraud and false reporting by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, pled no contest and was fined $57,000 (equivalent to $270,000 in 2024 and sentenced to 2,500 hours of community service
Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts
paid $500,000 to become the sole sponsor of the Mickey Mouse Club in order to directly appeal to children instead of their parents
Mattel's first products were picture frames & doll house furniture
referred to herself as "Barbie's mom"
graduated from high school at 16 years old
as part of her mandated community service she started a foundation to help white collar criminals and disadvantaged young men access job training, while juggling her expanding prosthetics empire
was sued by the 2 Germans, Greiner & Hausser, who manufactured the Bild Lilli doll & eventually bought the rights from them
1 of Mattel's employees, John (known as Jack) Ryan, sued Mattel & claimed he was responsible for creating Barbie & it was named after his wife
no patents under Handler's name were located but 2 (#3009284 & 3277601) for dolls resembling Barbie were found under the name John W. Ryan
believed play was essential for a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development, and strived to create toys that engaged and stimulated young minds
grew up a tomboy, thought "girl stuff" was stupid, & considered herself a loner
"America's Time Capsule," buried at the celebration of the Bicentennial in 1976 contains a Barbie doll
1980 sold her prosthesis company to Kimberly-Clark
dropped out of college in Denver at 19 and started working at Paramount studio as a stenographer/secretary
she & Elliot helped found Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles
faced antisemitism when growing up subsequently convinced her husband to use his middle name of Elliot instead of his given name of Isador & the nickname Izzy hoping to incur fewer incidents of antisemitism

Born: 1916

Country: USA

Education: UCLA; University of Denver 1935-36;

Mona (now known as Mona Hanna) Hanna-Attisha

🔍 Pediatrics

Details

🔍 Pediatrics

her parents are Iraqi scientists and dissidents who fled during the Baath regime
grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan
a portion of proceeds of her book are donated to the Flint Child Health and Development Fund
February 2020 she testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change that proposed revisions to the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule were "minimalistic and insufficient" and that "the proposed revisions do not fix these underlying issues, and will not address the national public health crisis of lead in our drinking water delivery system swiftly enough."
Honorary co-chair of the March for Science
she & Marc and Edwards donated the $250,000 award from their Defiance Award to victims of the Flint River water crisis
is the Associate Dean for Public Health and C. S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
she & her family became naturalized American citizens in 1980
as a child wanted to become a journalist
became involved in environmental activism in high school
tries to read a book every week
studied environmental health and was active in environmental issues, including campaigning to shut down an incinerator, while in high school and college
loves puzzles

Born: 1976

Country: United Kingdom

Education: University of Michigan BS 1998 Resource Ecology & Management/Environmental Health & Masters in Public Health 2008 Health Management & Policy; Michigan State University MD 2002

Joanna Nayer Hardin

✊ Cyber Activist

Details

✊ Cyber Activist

known alternatively as “The Computer Lady” or Harlem’s “Computer Diva”
learned how to type in 1966
her unit facilitates lowering the keyboard, eliminating the tendency to bend wrists & has an indented armrest that extends to support elbows and facilitates better posture
studied theater in college
trained over 3,000 students in computing, data analysis, and environmental awareness
is a champion of phytoremediation: using hemp to clean toxic soil and air by planting hemp alongside mushrooms, thistle, and sunflowers to detoxify polluted land
is a vocal supporter of hempcrete and 3D printing with natural materials, pushing for sustainable housing and infrastructure
worked with Takashi Okanuma of the Japan Hemp Association & helped shape the Kyoto Hemp Forum
her approach to innovation is: solve the problem, share the solution, and empower others to do the same
her message is liberation through knowledge, healing through nature, and justice through action
her 3-Step Climate Solution Dance is a blend of clean energy, hemp remediation, and community empowerment
CURE headquarters are currently on 10 acres in Mc Neal, Arizona
holds 1 patent

Born: Unknown

Country: USA

Education: University of Connecticut 1970-72

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

✊ Civil Rights Activist ✍️ poet ✍️ author

Details

✊ Civil Rights Activist ✍️ poet ✍️ author

published her first book of poetry, Forest Leaves, or Autumn Leaves, at the age of 20
1850 taught domestic science at Union Seminary in Columbus, Ohio
1851 started to write anti-slavery literature
was born free
Her parents who were both free died when she was 3 leaving her an orphan & she was raised by her maternal uncle & aunt
13 became employed as a seamstress and nursemaid for a white family that owned a bookshop so she dropped out of school but continued her education by reading books from the bookstore
several of her works were published under her maiden name of Watkins
a single copy of her 1st book of poems was discovered at the Maryland Historical Society in the 2010s
1858 refused to give up her seat or ride in the "colored" section of a segregated trolley car in Philadelphia & this was 97 years before Rosa Parks
published 80 poems
was a strong supporter of abolitionism, prohibition and woman's suffrage
was active in the Unitarian Church
numerous African-American women's service clubs are named in her honor
an excerpt from her poem "Bury Me in a Free Land" is inscribed on a wall of the Contemplative Court, a space for reflection in the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The excerpt reads: "I ask no monument, proud and high to arrest the gaze of the passers-by; all that my yearning spirit craves is bury me not in a land of slaves."
was the first woman instructor at Union Seminary, a school for free African Americans in Wilberforce, Ohio
generally written in conventional rhymed quatrains, her poetry was noted for its simple rhythm and biblical imagery
earned a reputation as the mother of African American journalism
was the first Black woman lecturer for the American Anti-Slavery Society
served as a mentor to Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Ida B. Wells, and Victoria Earle Matthews
was sometimes referred to as the "bronze muse"
was a key participant in the Cincinnati Colored Convention of 1858, serving as the only woman delegate
was active with the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania
Reverend William Watkins, the uncle who helped raise her, was the single most influential person in youth, exposing her to the value of education, the importance of spirituality, and the human right of freedom
would frequently give three lectures in a day
experimented with dialect in the speech of her characters to express the sensibilities of the oppressed
taught at a school run by abolitionist John Brown
the home where she lived in Philadelphia from 1870 until her death is now a National Historic Landmark
severl of her books have been restored & are available through the Smithsonian Library
was educated at her uncle’s Academy for Negro Youth in Baltimore where she studied Classical and Modern languages, the Bible, geography, philosophy, mathematics, music, and rhetoric
became involved in the abolitionist movement after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which prohibited her from returning to Baltimore, the city of her birth
she supported a movement called Free Produce, which encouraged people to boycott all products tied to slave labor

Born: 1825

Country: USA

Education: dropped out at age 13 to work

Martha Matilda Harper

💼 Entrepreneur 💡 Inventor 🔍 Cosmotology

Details

💼 Entrepreneur 💡 Inventor 🔍 Cosmotology

Invented the reclining shampoo chair
Initiated the concept of professional "salon" & franchises
Didn't marry until she was 63; her husband, Robert McBain, was 24 years her junior
Created her own shampoos in a shed
Her father sent her to work as a domestic servant for relatives when she was 7; worked at that for 22 years
Her floor-length hair was an effective marketing tool for her hair tonic
The 1st 100 franchises of her company were given to poor women; all 500 franchises were owned by women
Her salons offered childcare & featured products largely made with natural products; she didn't use synthetic dyes or do chemical perms
Among her customers were British Royalty, susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, Grace Coolidge, Joseph & rose Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, George Bernard Shaw, & Ladybird Johnson
Never patented her reclining shampoo chair, cut-out sink, or hair formula

Born: 1857

Country: Canada

Education: took a few classes at University of Rochester

Betty Wright Harris

🔬 Chemistry

Details

🔬 Chemistry

1986, patented a simple, sensitive spot test to ascertain the presence of potentially explosive materials
Began college at age 16
Taught college level chemistry & math for 10 years before working at Los Alamos Labs
At Los Alamos established a summer program for promising high school girls to encourage them to become scientists
Created a chemistry badge for Girl Scouts
After retiring from Los Alamos in 2002, she worked for the US Dept of Energy Office of Classification as a document reviewer to determine which documents should remain classified & which could be released to the public
Holds 1 patent

Born: 1940

Country: USA

Education: Southern University & A&M College BS Chemistry 1961; Clark Atlanta University MS Chemistry 1963; University of New Mexico PhD Chemistry 1973

Mary Styles Harris

🔍 Genetics

Details

Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris

✊ Activism - Urban Renewal

Details

✊ Activism - Urban Renewal

her nickname, "Mama Shu", is a reference to Shu, the Egyptian god of air
2007 her two-year-old son, Jakobi Ra, was struck by a car in a hit and run accident while crossing the street with his older brother, Chinyelu & the following year she opened Avalon Village in his honor
January 2021 her 23-year-old son, Chinyelu Geb Kahero Humphrey, was sitting in his car in the Avalon Village doing neighborhood watch when he was shot and killed &, as of this writing (2025) his murder has not been solved
she was a school administrator in the Detroit Public Schools for 27 years, a chaplain for the Highland Park Police Department, chairwoman of Highland Park Charter Commission, Vice President of the Highland Park Housing Commission, President of the Highland Park Board of Education, Wayne Metro Regional Advisory Council, and was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as a member of the Michigan Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity
the Village Hall is located inside a pre-fab Cocoon 9 home donated by Ellen Degeneres
the Goddess Marketplace is a storefront for women entrepreneurs to sell their goods
the Homework House is a learning space for youth where they can study, get tutoring, or attend learning activities & is equipped with computers, 3D printers, a music studio, a library, a refrigerator and table for dining, a washer and dryer
the community garden provides food for locals and teaches the youth how to garden
future goals for Avalon Village include building a school, café, greenhouse, and a healing center
The Avalon Village is the prototype for distressed and neglected communities that aim to become eco-friendly, resilient, and self-sufficient, thus transforming that community from “Blight to Beauty.®”
2015 lost her step-son, Pili Humphrey, who was 34 years old
2022 purchased a billboard asking for help solving the murder of her son Chinleyu

Born: 1965

Country: USA

Education: Unknown

Angela R. Harris

✍️ Author 💡 Inventor

Details

Ann Harrison

Details

Leila C. Harrison

Details

Joycelyn Harrison

⚛️ Chemical Engineer

Details

Susan "Susie" Harrison-Vaters

Details

Elizabeth van Laer Speer Hartwell

🔍 conservationist

Details

Harriet Boyd Hawes

🔍 Archaeology

Details

Elizabeth Hawk

💡 Inventor

Details

Janel Hawkins

Details

Tescha Hawley

Details

Dr. Carla Hayden

🔍 Librarian

Details

Alma Jerlene LeVant Hayden

🔬 Chemistry

Details

Ada Hayden

Details

Martha Euphemia Lofton Haynes

📊 Mathematics

Details

Elizabeth Lee Hazen

🔬 Microbiology

Details

Ruby Louise Puryear Hearn

⚛️ Biophysics

Details

Eleanor Francis Helin

Details

Beulah Louise Henry

💡 Inventor

Details

💡 Inventor

Was nicknamed "Lady Edison"
1937, became known as "America's leading feminine inventor"
Received her 1st patent at age 25 for a vacuum-sealed ice cream freezer
Held 53 patents for everyday items to improve life, toys, typewriters, & sewing machines
Was responsible for over 100 inventions
1937, had a museum exhibit dedicated to her in Osaka, Japan to inspire female Japanese inventors
Was the Granddaughter of former North Carolina Governor W.W. Holden & a direct descendant of President Benjamin Harrison
Began sketching ideas for inventions when she was 9
Loved to point out what was wrong with something & mention changes to improve them
Established 2 companies in NY: Henry Umbrella & Parasol & B.L. Henry Company
Invented items to improve the quality of life for women including a hair curler, vanity case, rubber sponge soap holder, & snap-on parasol that allowed one to change the pattern on a parasol to match your outfit

Born: 1887

Country: USA

Education: Elizabeth College; North Carolina Presbyterian College

Hannah Herbst

Details

Christina Hernandez

Details

Caroline Lucretia Herschel

Details

Hope Hersh

🔬 Biology

Details

🔬 Biology

Developed a bread recipe that is self-contained, crumbless, & can be made within its storage badge for astronauts to use in space (Space Bread)
Is a PhD student at the University of Florida in Plant Cellular & Molecular Biology; expected graduation in December 2023
Won $25,000 in NASAs Deep Space Food Challenge for her bread
Bread comes in bright colors, orange, yellow, red & green, depending on what algae is added for nutritional value
As a doctoral student, created Space Bread, a way for astronauts to enjoy fresh bread in space
Created an FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) bag that could hold all the bread ingredients, mix them, allow the dough to rise, & bake in the oven; bread had to be crumb-less because crumbs would float in zero-G & get into the equipment
Used edible algae & bio-fortified yeast strains to make the bread more nutritious

Born: Unknown

Country: USA

Education: Michigan State University BS Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, & Plant biology 2017; currently PhD candidate University of Florida

Caroline Herzenberg

Details

Angelina (Lina) Fanny Hesse

Details

Gloria Conyes Hewitt

📊 Mathematics

Details

Beatrice Alice Hicks

⚛️ Chemical Engineering

Details

⚛️ Chemical Engineering

1st female engineer hired by Western Electric (1942)
Co-founder & 1st president of Society of Women Engineers
Created gas density sensor switch that played a key role in making space travel possible
Became an engineer when it was viewed as a socially unacceptable role for a woman
In college worked as a telephone operator at an Abercrombie & Fitch store & at the University's library to support herself
After her father died, she went to work for Newark Controls Company, a metal-working firm her father founded; 1955, purchased control of the company from her uncle
Was Director of the 1st International Conference of Women Engineers & Scientists
1st female recipient of an honorary doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Held 1 patent