BadAss Women Throughout History

MARY TYLER MOORE: Changed What Women Could Be

In episode 17 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Mary Tyler Moore - the sitcom star who helped redefine womanhood on television. At a time when female characters were expected to be wives, girlfriends, or punchlines, Mary Tyler Moore stepped onto screen as an independent working woman with ambition, complexity, humor, and a life of her own. From The Dick Van Dyke Show to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she helped quietly shift American culture episode by episode - tackling topics like workplace sexism, equal pay, divorce, grief, and female independence years before television was comfortable talking about them. But behind the smile and groundbreaking success was a woman navigating enormous pressure, personal loss, addiction, and the cost of becoming a symbol for an entire generation. This is the story of the woman who turned the world on with her smile and changed television forever. SOURCES: * Being Mary Tyler Moore documentary - HBO Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas [https://youtu.be/ZpD3fVdsfCw?si=AcOSNZthkudW-9By] → Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi [https://youtu.be/e1UAQ4FZF-0?si=vSKbjJrnU34NuczK] → Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement [https://youtu.be/Eo2Y3n0fG18?si=N1BNgSIeMvy5eWZ7] If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes → Like + comment (it pushes this to more people) → Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced, your support directly helps it grow! WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.instagram.com/badasswomenthroughouthistory] TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@bawthpodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-92EPasdnxAt] Facebook: @BAWTH [https://www.facebook.com/BAWTH] Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.youtube.com/@BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory] Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/]

MADAME CJ WALKER: First Female Millionaire in America

In episode 16 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Madame C.J. Walker - the daughter of formerly enslaved parents who transformed herself from a washerwoman earning barely enough to survive into a groundbreaking entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist. At a time when Black women were excluded from most opportunities in America, Walker built a beauty empire specifically for them - creating products, training thousands of women as sales agents, and helping generations of Black women achieve financial independence. Her story is about resilience, ambition, reinvention, and using success to open doors for others. This is the story of a woman who turned survival into legacy. Sources: * On Her Own Ground book by A’Lelia Bundles [https://aleliabundles.com/on-her-own-ground/] * Short Stuff podcast: Madame CJ Walker  [https://open.spotify.com/episode/04ghwN7PH4E8oG6mQRWZGe?si=5b83dbf33bab44a9] * Dinner Party History podcast: Dinner with Madame CJ Walker [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OlqsqwLrfxD1t2iTKVcbG?si=35c43c02b21944f0] * My Favorite Murder podcast: Get Your Blade Hands Ready [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0KlFgtPRcHhNyVegKdbcFs?si=61046a168b3c4cde] * See Madame CJ Walker’s mansion Villa Lewaro [https://savingplaces.org/places/villa-lewaro-madam-c-j-walker-estate] Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas [https://youtu.be/ZpD3fVdsfCw?si=AcOSNZthkudW-9By] → Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi [https://youtu.be/e1UAQ4FZF-0?si=vSKbjJrnU34NuczK] → Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement [https://youtu.be/Eo2Y3n0fG18?si=N1BNgSIeMvy5eWZ7] Merch: * Amy wears the a silk scarf twilly from the Tutti Frutti Collection by artist Cara Kozik. Shop the look: https://www.carakozik.com/products/famino-tutti-frutti-silk-twilly [https://www.carakozik.com/products/famino-tutti-frutti-silk-twilly] * Shop all Cara Kozik Designs: https://www.carakozik.com/collections [https://www.carakozik.com/collections] If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes → Like + comment (it pushes this to more people) → Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced, your support directly helps it grow! WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.instagram.com/badasswomenthroughouthistory] TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@bawthpodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-92EPasdnxAt] Facebook: @BAWTH [https://www.facebook.com/BAWTH] Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.youtube.com/@BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory] Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/]

GRACE O’MALLEY: The Pirate Queen Who Faced an Empire

She wasn’t supposed to lead ships. She wasn’t supposed to build power. And she definitely wasn’t supposed to sit across from a queen… and negotiate. But Grace O'Malley did all three. In episode 16 of BadAss Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Grace O’Malley. In 16th century Ireland, Grace O’Malley built a maritime empire from nothing—commanding fleets, controlling trade routes, and holding her ground against the expansion of England. And when everything she built was threatened… she sailed to London and demanded a meeting with Queen Elizabeth I. No shared language. No formal power. Just two women… and a negotiation that changed everything. This is one of the most overlooked power plays in history. SOURCES: Grace O'Malley, Pirate Queen of Ireland [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWX0Pky2VKY] Episode from “Pirates-Behind the Legends” series  by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC  “Grace O’Malley: The Pirate Queen Who Ruled the Irish Seas” [https://passagenautical.com/blog/grace-omalley-the-pirate-queen-who-ruled-the-irish-seas/] Article [https://passagenautical.com/blog/grace-omalley-the-pirate-queen-who-ruled-the-irish-seas/] In this episode: * How Grace O’Malley built and led a fleet in a male-dominated world * The real story behind the “pirate queen” label * What actually happened when she met Queen Elizabeth I * How she negotiated power without status * Why her story still matters today Watch next (BAWTH episodes): → Ching Shih — The Pirate Queen Who Commanded The Seas [https://youtu.be/ZpD3fVdsfCw?si=AcOSNZthkudW-9By] → Hedy Lamarr — The Actress Who Invented WiFi [https://youtu.be/e1UAQ4FZF-0?si=vSKbjJrnU34NuczK] → Wangari Maathai — The Woman Who Planted a Movement [https://youtu.be/Eo2Y3n0fG18?si=N1BNgSIeMvy5eWZ7] If you like stories like this: → Subscribe for weekly episodes → Like + comment (it pushes this to more people) → Share with someone who should know this story This show is independently produced—your support directly helps it grow. WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.instagram.com/badasswomenthroughouthistory] TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@bawthpodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-92EPasdnxAt] Facebook: @BAWTH [https://www.facebook.com/BAWTH] Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.youtube.com/@BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory] Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/]

WANGARI MAATHAI: Planted Trees… and Took on a Government

Wangari Maathai started with trees. The government saw her as a threat. In Kenya, she mobilized women, rebuilt land, and challenged corruption at the highest levels. The response was arrests, violence, and public attacks. But she didn’t stop. This is the story of how one woman turned environmental activism into a movement powerful enough to shake a nation, and became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In this episode of BadAss Women Throughout History, we re-release the incredible story and life of Wangari Maathai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who led the Green Belt Movement. It explores her childhood, education, activism, and the impact of her work on the environment and women's empowerment. Social Media https://linktr.ee/BAWTH [https://linktr.ee/BAWTH] Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.instagram.com/badasswomenthroughouthistory] TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@bawthpodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-92EPasdnxAt] Facebook: @BAWTH [https://www.facebook.com/BAWTH] Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.youtube.com/@BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory] Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/] Sources https://takingrootfilm.com/ [https://takingrootfilm.com/] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJtC-3DKwfM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJtC-3DKwfM] A video called “Wangari Maathai: the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Who Planted Trees”  from the Nobel Peace Center [https://www.youtube.com/@NobelPeaceCenter] YouTube account) DONATE TO THE GREEN BELT MOVEMENT! https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/donate/ [https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/donate/]

LOZEN, The Apache Warrior Who Refused to Surrender

Lozen wasn’t just a warrior—she was a force the U.S. Army couldn’t contain for a very long time. A Chihenne Chiricahua Apache woman, Lozen fought alongside her brother Victorio and later Geronimo, using both strategy and spiritual insight to protect her people during one of the most brutal periods in American history. She led women and children through enemy territory. She crossed hundreds of miles alone to bring others to safety. And she returned—again and again—to the front lines. In episode 13 of Badass Women Throughout History, Amy tells the story of Lozen—the woman known as “a shield to her people.” This is a story about resistance, survival, and what it means to fight for your home when everything is being taken from you. 🎧 Follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple 📺 Subscribe on YouTube for weekly episodes ⭐ Leave a 5-star review to support the show 🔗 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it WEBSITE https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.instagram.com/badasswomenthroughouthistory] TikTok: @BAWTHpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@bawthpodcast?_r=1&_t=ZT-92EPasdnxAt] Facebook: @BAWTH [https://www.facebook.com/BAWTH] Youtube: @BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory [https://www.youtube.com/@BadAssWomenThroughoutHistory] Website: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.com/] Substack: https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/ [https://badasswomenthroughouthistory.substack.com/] SOURCES “Women Warriors” podcast  2 part episode on Lozen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Im19PzovApIFVrNqO7HwB?si=UTefy1JTRMSwfgklyQnC3g [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Im19PzovApIFVrNqO7HwB?si=UTefy1JTRMSwfgklyQnC3g] “Ridiculous Romance” podcast  on iHeart radio : https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DhAvw3TEsAGsHpyA5WUdZ?si=cmbBfZrwTKWOsbHPLnfjNg [https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DhAvw3TEsAGsHpyA5WUdZ?si=cmbBfZrwTKWOsbHPLnfjNg] Youtube vid by Ancientcovery: https://youtu.be/-Sp3zODy9OI?si=Bcr-bA3Lm7kBTJ5n [https://youtu.be/-Sp3zODy9OI?si=Bcr-bA3Lm7kBTJ5n]