20th-century American women writers

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American politician, lawyer, and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator representing New York from 2001 to 2009, and the first lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001 as the wife of Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the party's nominee in the 2016 presidential election, becoming the first woman to win a presidential nomination by a major U.S. political party and the only woman to win the popular vote for U.S. president. Clinton lost the United States Electoral College vote to Republican Party nominee Donald Trump. She is the only first lady of the United States to have run for elected office.

American deafblind author, political activist, lecturer, scholar (1880-1968)

American diplomat and activist, First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1884–1962)

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was a British and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. She then became the world's highest-paid movie star in the 1960s, remaining a well-known public figure for the rest of her life. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her seventh on its list of the greatest female screen legends.

American talk show host, actress, producer, and author (born 1954)

Russian-born American anarchist (1869–1940)

American aviation pioneer and author (1897–1939)

German-American political theorist and philosopher (1906–1975)

American diplomat and political scientist (born 1954)

American actress, singer, screenwriter, and writer (1893–1980)

Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand is an American singer, actress, songwriter, and filmmaker. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Streisand's success in the entertainment industry has included Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.

American marine biologist and conservationist (1907–1964)

American actress (1908–1989)

Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman. After achieving success as a songwriter for other artists, Parton's debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, was released in 1967, commencing a career spanning 60 years and 50 studio albums. Referred to as the "Queen of Country", Parton is one of the most-honored female country performers in history and has received various accolades, including eleven Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards including an humanitarian honorary Oscar win in 2025, six Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.

American contemporary folk musician (born 1941)

Jacqueline Lee "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States. She redefined the mostly ceremonial role into a platform for arts and culture, by hosting multiple high-profile events at the White House and leading its restoration into a historical site. Through her fashion and cultural literacy, she improved the global standing of the United States during the politically volatile Cold War. Her personal style became known as the "Jackie Look", which inspired worldwide fashion trends during the 1960s.

American actress (1908–1977)

Canadian actress and producer (1892–1979)

Austrian-American actress and co-inventor of an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping (1914-2000)

American feminist social activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, philosopher, and writer (1860–1935)

American actress

American anthropologist (1901-1978)

American political economist (1933-2012)

American actress (1893–1993)

American comedian, television host, actress, and writer (born 1958)

American actress (1899–1983)

French-born American author (1903–1977)

American feminist gender studies philosopher (born 1956)

American comedian, actress, and television host (1933–2014)

American political activist, scholar, and author (born 1944)

American astronaut and physicist (1951–2012)

American actress, singer, and dancer (1932–2016)

American rock musician and actress (born 1964)

Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, alongside multiple comedies, she is regarded as a "scream queen". As of 2023, her films have grossed over $2.5 billion at the box office. Curtis has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globes, and two Actor Awards, as well as a nomination for a Grammy Award.

American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright

American actress (1949–2024)

First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 (1925–2018)

American activist and journalist (born 1934)

British actress (1917–2013)

American zoologist, gorilla researcher (1932–1985)

American actress

First Lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981

First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977

Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the prime-time television soap opera Peyton Place and gained further recognition for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra. She achieved her career breakthrough and international acclaim as the titular character Rosemary in Roman Polanski's psychological horror film Rosemary's Baby (1968), receiving nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She went on to appear in several films throughout the 1970s, such as Follow Me! (1972), The Great Gatsby (1974), and Death on the Nile (1978). Her younger sister is Prudence Farrow.

American feminist writer and activist (1921–2006)

American author of Indian origin (born 1967)

American socialite and wife of the Duke of Windsor (1896-1986)

Irish-born American labor and community organizer (1837–1930)

American journalist

American chef

American actress (1920–2006)

Lithuanian-American archaeologist

American birth control activist and nurse (1879–1966)

American broadcast journalist (1929–2022)

Priscilla Ann Presley is an American businesswoman and actress. She was married to singer Elvis Presley from 1967 to 1973. Presley later co-founded and chaired Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), which oversaw the public opening of Graceland as a museum. As an actress, she portrayed Jane Spencer in the Naked Gun film series (1988–1994) and Jenna Wade on the television series Dallas (1983–1988).

American singer (born 1946)

first black woman elected to the United States Congress (1924-2005)

American actress (1946–2016)

American peace activist and child actress (1972–1985)

Stephanie Lynn Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.