23 January 1823 – Birth of Camilla Collett, considered Norway's first feminist; her only novel deals with the difficulties of being a woman in a patriarchal society
18 February 1934 – Birth of Audre Lorde, African-Americanfeminist and poet who criticized earlier feminists, such as Betty Friedan, for not considering the effects of race and sexual orientation on feminism
June1949 – First publication of The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, a detailed analysis of women's oppression which became a foundational text of contemporary feminism
21 June 1947 – Shirin Ebadi - Iranian lawyer and human rights activist who was the first Muslim woman awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her pioneering efforts on behalf of women's and children's rights
9 August 1956 – National Women's Day (South Africa) commemorates the national march of women on this day to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the "pass", special identification documents which curtailed their freedom of movement during the apartheid era.
31 August 1919 – Birth of Amrita Pritam (pictured), the first prominent female Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, she received the Jnanpith Award, one of India's highest literary honors
September1981 – Women's Action Forum formed in Pakistan which promotes women's issues, such as discriminatory legislation, dress codes, violence against women, and the seclusion of women
25 September 1952 – Birth of bell hooks, an African-American author, feminist, and social activist, whose writing has focused on the connections between race, class and gender and how they produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination
12 October 1810 – Birth of Nísia Floresta Brasileira Augusta (pictured), considered the "first Brazilian feminist", she wrote the first Brazilian book to discuss women's rights
16 October 1916 – Margaret Sanger opened the first family planning and birth control clinic in the United States.
17 October 1947 – Birth of Brinda Karat, an Indian activist within the labor and women's movements, she gained prominence reforming rape laws and became the first female member of the CPI(M) Politburo.
24 October 1929 – First publication of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, a book-length essay which includes the famous dictum "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction"
2 December 1988 – Benazir Bhutto sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the youngest person and the first woman to head a Muslim-majority state
10 December 1923 – Equal Rights Amendment first introduced to the United States Senate and House of Representatives
27 December 1797 – Birth of Manuela Sáenz (pictured), "perhaps the most important woman in Latin American history". In love with Simón Bolívar, she assisted with his revolutionary cause by gathering information, distributing leaflets and protesting for women's rights.
31 December 1903 – Birth of Fumiko Hayashi, Japanese novelist and poet, whose works revolve around themes of free spirited women and troubled relationships
_,_in_1948.jpg)
