Women Immigrants in the History of the United States
We are going to highlight the most remarkable women immigrants in the history of the USA. stories of eight extraordinary female immigrants. All these famous immigrants in the US have made huge contributions in the following fields: medicine, cinema, activism, or physics.
Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910)
Elizabeth Blackwell is known as the 1st woman physician in the history of the USA. She graduated from Geneva Medical College, which admitted a woman, and at that time it was very rare. Elizabeth wanted to be a surgeon, but she had problems with her vision. Finally, she succeeded in opening her own practice, the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. Thanks to Blackwell’s accomplishments, she was honored to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Mary Harris Jones (1837-1930)
Marry Harris was known as a troublemaker all her young years, but her troubles were “good”. She had to go to jail because she was speaking for mine workers. Her life was devoted to activism. He had the nickname “Mother Jones” because she was always protecting young workers. Her family story was very tragic because her husband and kids died because of yellow fever. Originally Marry is from Canada, but she migrated to the USA when she was an adult. Marry was the specialist to grab national attention. There is even a magazine called “Mother Jones” in her honor.
Marlene Dietrich(1901-1992)
Marlene Dietrich is a famous American actress with German origin. This woman is the icon of style and talent. Her specialty was to push as many boundaries in her life as possible. Her career in filmmaking is remarkable. Maarlen garnered the Academy Award nomination. This glamorous woman was known for wearing mainly men’s clothing. Marlen was against the Hiler regime. She was producing anti-Nazi albums, raising funds for her Jewish and German friends. Her social work earned Marlen the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997)
Chien-Shiung Wu is known as the 1st woman in physics in the history of the USA. Her accomplishments in the physics field were remarkable. This tiny woman was working on the atomic bomb, which brought her a Nobel Prize. Wu immigrated from China, graduated from Berkeley University, obtained a PhD in physics, and participated in creating an atomic bomb in America. She was a talented public speaker calling for better treatment of ladies in science and society in general.
Azar Nafisi (1948-Till Present)
Azar Nafisi is a famous writer. One of her best books is “Reading Lolita in Tehran”. Her role was to change the perceptions of Iranian women. Nafisi did her study in the UK, the USA, and Switzerland. One of her achievements was the position of the English professor in Tehran. She was participating in the Iranian Revolution (1979) and fighting for female rights. Her activism pushed Azar to leave Iran and migrate to the USA, where her book was very successful and was on the bestseller list. Azar Nafisi uses her popularity and connections to help women immigrants/refugees.
Salma Hayek (1966- Till Present)
Salma Hayek is one of the best examples of successful Latin immigrants in the USA. She is known for bravery to speak freely about sexual harassment in American entertainment industry. She was not ashamed to speak to the media about her own experiences with Weinstein. Salma was born in Mexico, where she was already a young telenovela star. She was dreaming about advancing her acting career. So, she took the decision to move to the USA, despite her limited level of English. The pick of her acting talent can be seen in the movie Frida where she was acting as a Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Thanks to this role Samla was nominated for the Best Actress.