21 women who shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations

There are thousands of women pushing boundaries and shattering glass ceilings everyday so that future generations won’t have to worry that their dreams aren’t achievable. 

Each of these historic triumphs helped move the women’s movement forward and they’ve inspired young children — of all genders! — realize that they can do anything they set their minds to. 

Here are 21 impressive women who broke through barriers:

Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to go to space.

She recently confirmed that the rumor is true: the space agency really did forget to send a toothbrush up with her for the legendary flight. 

“Unfortunately it is a fact,” Dr. Tereshkova said while speaking at London’s Science Museum. “But I’m very resourceful as any woman would be. I had my toothpaste, and I had my hand, and I had water.”

Mae Carol Jemison went to space 29 years later, becoming the first African-American in space.

She’s spent years speaking on the benefits of getting young children — regardless of their gender, nationality, or race — into the STEM fields and into space. 

“It’s important not only for a little black girl growing up to know, yeah, you can become an astronaut because here’s Mae Jemison. But it’s important for older white males who sometimes make decisions on those careers of those little black girls,” she said during an interview with The Associated Press.

Wilma Mankiller was the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee tribe.

After she died at age 64 in 2010, President Barack Obama made a statement in her honor. 

“As the Cherokee Nation’s first female chief, she transformed the nation-to-nation relationship between the Cherokee Nation and the federal government, and served as an inspiration to women in Indian Country and across America,” he said. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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