t s r i F The
GMU
MONUMENT
DESIGN
PROJECT
AN
ACCOUNT OF
HISTORIC FEMALE FIRSTS
DESIGNED
BY
EB
The event I chose to base my monument on is not a single event, but many. As I was looking for inspiration for my monument, I came across a list of women’s firsts in history. This list had everything from arts and music awards to political and scientific achievements. What caught my attention about this list was the large number of these firsts happened within the last ten or twenty years. Women have certainly come a long way, but even in a first world, supposedly progressive country like the United States, females still have to fight to be heard over the men, especially in the workplace, overwelmed with male-dominated occupations such as many well-respected professions like law and med
Female icine among many others. An excellent example of this inequality is politics. Political leadership is not often a role in which we in America see women, a striking and dramatic disproportion to the vast number of men we see filling these leadership roles. The US, after over 200 years since independence and 100 years of a woman’s right to vote, we have yet to see the first woman to be president or even vice president with only three instances of nomination of a woman to these roles. The US, after over 200 years since independence and 100 years of a woman’s right to vote, we have yet to see the first woman to be president or even
vice president with only three instances of nomination of a woman to these roles. There are twenty of our fifty states (including our Virginia) that have yet to elect a female governor. Some more examples include the following: Women have only been allowed to attend any ivy league school for just under fifty years and for many years after, it was made very difficult for them to do so. Women make up two thirds of the world’s illiteracy rate. The average woman’s unadjusted annual salary has been cited as 81-82% of that of the average man’s. These events are significant because looking at them as a whole, one can quite easily see the dramatic disproportion
Firsts of these achievements compared to those of men. Even today, men dominate, by a large margin, many of the jobs and industries that could and should be equally available to any gender, including non-cisgender individuals. The monument I envision pays homage to these women who have paved the way for their sisters who are still fighting for equality. I would propose a large dent in the Earth, signifying the dent females have made in the modern world. The names of these women will be carved into the granite, allowing viewers to walk down into the monument with the stairs and pathways in order to see the names and titles.
The Mon The monument will be a literal dent in the Earth, signifying the dent that women have made in society and development starting with these individuals named in the memorial.
Thatcher – First Woman Prime Minister Of Great Britain - 1979 * Julie Krone – First Woman To Win A Triple Crown Race * Niagara Falls In A Barrel – 1901 * Mary Davenport-Engberg - First Woman To Conduct A Symphony Orchestra, In Bellingh Ross - The First Woman To Serve As Governor Of A State, In Wyoming * Gertrude Ederle Julia Morgan - First Woman Admi lia Earhart - The First Woman To Cross The Atlantic In An Airplane - 1928 * Frances Perkins - The First Female Member Of A - The First Woman To Drive In The Indy 500 - 1977 * Sandra Day O’connor - The First Woman On The Supreme Court - 19 Woman To Play In An NHL Game - 1992 * Madeleine Albright - The First Female Secretary Of State - 1997 * Kathryn Bigelo Major Party - 2016 * Katie Sowers - First Woman And First Openly Gay Coach In Super Bowl History - 2020 * Marie Owen Ordained Female Rabbi * Junko Tabei - First Woman To Summit Mt. Everest * Arlene Pieper - First Woman To Finish A Mar 1924 * Nellie Tayloe Ross - First Woman Elected Governor - 1925 * Susan B. Anthony - First Woman On An American Co Chojnowska-Liskiewicz - First Woman To Sail Around The World Solo - 1976 * Margaret Abbott - First American First-Place - First Woman To Demand A Vote In The American Colonies - 1648 * Opha May Johnson - First Female Marine * Emeline R Crump - First Female Kentucky Derby Jockey - 1970 * Robin Herman - First Female Reporter In Locker Rooms - 1975 * Barb As Head Of Government In The World * Hannah Slater - Received The First U.S. Patent Granted To A Woman - 1793 * Elizabe Of The United States - 1872 * Marie Curie - The First Woman To Win A Nobel Prize - 1903 * Jeannette Rankin - The First F National Election - 1980 * Manon Rheaume - The First Woman To Play In The NHL - 1992 * Beverley Mclachlin - Canada’s F Prize - 2004 * Ellen Johnson - The First Woman Elected To Head An African Country * Nancy Pelosi]The First Woman To H Be Appointed Poet Laureate Of Great Britain * Mae Carol Jemison - The First African American Woman To Travel To Space eree For The NFL - 2015 * Ann Dunwoody - The First Female Four-Star General In The Army - 2008 * Edith Wharton - First W * Oprah Winfrey - First Black Female Billionaire - 2003 * Elizabeth Blackwell - The First Woman To Earn Her Medical Degree lican Ticket in the United States * Annie “Londonderry” Cohen Kopchovsky – First Woman To Bicycle Around The World Receive A Pilot’s Licence - 1910 * Margaret Thatcher – First Woman Prime Minister Of Great Britain - 1979 * Julie Krone – F Edson Taylor - The First Person To Go Over Niagara Falls In A Barrel – 1901 * Mary Davenport-Engberg - First Woman To C on BBC’s Doctor Who -2017 - Nellie Tayloe Ross - The First Woman To Serve As Governor Of A State, In Wyoming * Gert Presidential Cabinet * Jerrie Cobb - First Woman In The U.S. To Undergo Astronaut Testing - 1953 * Sarah Caldwell - The F Consecrated As A Bishop In The Episcopal Church * Carla Hayden - The First Female Librarian Of Congress - 2016 * Drew G Team Newark Eagles, - The First Woman Elected To The Baseball Hall Of Fame - 2006 * Lt. Col. Eileen Collins - First Woma The Citadel, The Formerly All-Male Military School In South Carolina Julia Morgan - First Woman Admitted To The Ecole D Woman To Cross The Atlantic In An Airplane - 1928 * Frances Perkins - The First Female Member Of A Presidential Cabinet Drive In The Indy 500 - 1977 * Sandra Day O’connor - The First Woman On The Supreme Court - 1981 * Aretha Franklin NHL Game - 1992 * Madeleine Albright - The First Female Secretary Of State - 1997 * Kathryn Bigelow - The First Woman Katie Sowers - First Woman And First Openly Gay Coach In Super Bowl History - 2020 * Marie Owens - First American Fem * Junko Tabei - First Woman To Summit Mt. Everest * Arlene Pieper - First Woman To Finish A Marathon - 1959 * Sarah Bree - First Woman Elected Governor - 1925 * Susan B. Anthony - First Woman On An American Coin - 1979 * Libby Riddles - F Woman To Sail Around The World Solo - 1976 * Margaret Abbott - First American First-Place Female Olympian - 1900 * Mo Vote In The American Colonies - 1648 * Opha May Johnson - First Female Marine * Emeline Roberts Jones - First Female Den Derby Jockey - 1970 * Robin Herman - First Female Reporter In Locker Rooms - 1975 * Barbara Buttrick And Joanne Hagen World * Hannah Slater - Received The First U.S. Patent Granted To A Woman - 1793 * Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D. - First Wom Marie Curie - The First Woman To Win A Nobel Prize - 1903 * Jeannette Rankin - The First Female Member Of Congress - 19 Rheaume - The First Woman To Play In The NHL - 1992 * Beverley Mclachlin - Canada’s First Woman Supreme Court Chief First Woman Elected To Head An African Country * Nancy Pelosi]The First Woman To Hold The Post of Speaker of the Ho Great Britain * Mae Carol Jemison - The First African American Woman To Travel To Space * Wilma Mankiller - First Fema Dunwoody - The First Female Four-Star General In The Army - 2008 * Edith Wharton - First Woman To Win The Pulitzer Pri Female Billionaire - 2003 * Elizabeth Blackwell - The First Woman To Earn Her Medical Degree In The United States - 1849 * * Annie “Londonderry” Cohen Kopchovsky – First Woman To Bicycle Around The World - 1895 * Charlotte Cooper – First W * Margaret Thatcher – First Woman Prime Minister Of Great Britain - 1979 * Julie Krone – First Woman To Win A Triple Cr To Go Over Niagara Falls In A Barrel – 1901 * Mary Davenport-Engberg - First Woman To Conduct A Symphony Orchestra Nellie Tayloe Ross - The First Woman To Serve As Governor Of A State, In Wyoming * Gertrude Ederle - The First Woman T - First Woman In The U.S. To Undergo Astronaut Testing - 1953 * Sarah Caldwell - The First Woman To Conduct At New Y Episcopal Church * Carla Hayden - The First Female Librarian Of Congress - 2016 * Drew Gilpin Faust – First Women to be n Woman Elected To The Baseball Hall Of Fame - 2006 * Lt. Col. Eileen Collins - First Woman Astronaut To Command A Spac Military School In South Carolina Julia Morgan - First Woman Admitted To The Ecole De Beaux-Arts In Paris - 1898 * Edith An Airplane - 1928 * Frances Perkins - The First Female Member Of A Presidential Cabinet - 1933 * Katherine Graham - Th Sandra Day O’connor - The First Woman On The Supreme Court - 1981 * Aretha Franklin - The First Women Elected To Th
Gardens and flowers surrounding the memorial; changed out seasonally
nument
Janet Yellen – First Woman To Chair The Federal Reserve Board - 2014 * Annie Edson Taylor - The First Person To Go Over ham, Washington * Jodie Whitaker – First Woman to Play the Role of the Doctor on BBC’s Doctor Who -2017 - Nellie Tayloe itted To The Ecole De Beaux-Arts In Paris - 1898 * Edith Wharton - The First Woman To Win A Pulitzer Prize - 1921 * AmeA Presidential Cabinet - 1933 * Katherine Graham - The First Woman To Become A Fortune 500 CEO - 1972 * Janet Guthrie 981 * Aretha Franklin - The First Women Elected To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame - 1987 * Manon Rheaume - The First ow - The First Woman To Win An Oscar For Best Director - 2010 * Hillary Clinton - First Female Presidential Nominee Of A ns - First American Female Police Officer * Valentina Tereshkova - First Woman In Space * Sally Priesand - First American rathon - 1959 * Sarah Breedlove - First Female Self-Made Millionaire * Alaska P. Davidson - First Female FBI Special Agent oin - 1979 * Libby Riddles - First Female Iditarod Winner - 1985 * Nancy Lieberman - First Female Nba Coach * Krystyna e Female Olympian - 1900 * Mo’ne Davis - First Female To Pitch A Little League World Series Shutout - 2014 * Margaret Brent Roberts Jones - First Female Dentist In The U.S. - 1855 * Genevieve R. Cline - First Female Federal Court Judge - 1922 * Diane bara Buttrick And Joanne Hagen - First Televised Female Boxers - 1954 * Sirimavo Bandaranaike - First Female To Be Elected eth Blackwell, M.D. - First Woman Doctor In The United States * Victoria Woodhull - The First Woman To Run For President Female Member Of Congress - 1916 * Vigdis Finnbogadottir - First Woman In The World To Be Elected Head Of State In A First Woman Supreme Court Chief Justice - 2000 * Zaha Hadid - The First Woman To Be Awarded The Pritzker Architecture Hold The Post of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States - 2007 * Carol Ann Duffy - The First Woman To * Wilma Mankiller - First Female Principal Chief Of The Cherokee Tribe - 1985 * Sarah Thomas - The First Woman To RefWoman To Win The Pulitzer Prize For Fiction - 1921 * Ella Fitzgerald - the First Woman To Ever Take Home A Grammy - 1959 e In The United States - 1849 * Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska - The First Woman To Run For Vice President On The Repub1895 * Charlotte Cooper – First Woman To Win An Olympic Gold Medal - 1900 * Raymonde De Laroche – First Woman To First Woman To Win A Triple Crown Race * Janet Yellen – First Woman To Chair The Federal Reserve Board - 2014 * Annie Conduct A Symphony Orchestra, In Bellingham, Washington * Jodie Whitaker – First Woman to Play the Role of the Doctor trude Ederle - The First Woman To Swim Across The English Channel * Frances Perkins - The First Woman Member Of A First Woman To Conduct At New York’s Metropolitan Opera House - 1975 * Reverend Barbara C. Harris - The First Woman Gilpin Faust – First Women to be named Harvard University President - 2007 * Effa Manley, Co-Owner Of The Negro Leagues an Astronaut To Command A Space Shuttle Mission – 1999 * Nancy Ruth Mace - the First Female Cadet To Graduate From De Beaux-Arts In Paris - 1898 * Edith Wharton - The First Woman To Win A Pulitzer Prize - 1921 * Amelia Earhart - The First t - 1933 * Katherine Graham - The First Woman To Become A Fortune 500 CEO - 1972 * Janet Guthrie - The First Woman To The First Women Elected To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame - 1987 * Manon Rheaume - The First Woman To Play In An To Win An Oscar For Best Director - 2010 * Hillary Clinton - First Female Presidential Nominee Of A Major Party - 2016 * male Police Officer * Valentina Tereshkova - First Woman In Space * Sally Priesand - First American Ordained Female Rabbi edlove - First Female Self-Made Millionaire * Alaska P. Davidson - First Female FBI Special Agent - 1924 * Nellie Tayloe Ross First Female Iditarod Winner - 1985 * Nancy Lieberman - First Female Nba Coach * Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz - First o’ne Davis - First Female To Pitch A Little League World Series Shutout - 2014 * Margaret Brent - First Woman To Demand A ntist In The U.S. - 1855 * Genevieve R. Cline - First Female Federal Court Judge - 1922 * Diane Crump - First Female Kentucky - First Televised Female Boxers - 1954 * Sirimavo Bandaranaike - First Female To Be Elected As Head Of Government In The man Doctor In The United States * Victoria Woodhull - The First Woman To Run For President Of The United States - 1872 * 916 * Vigdis Finnbogadottir - First Woman In The World To Be Elected Head Of State In A National Election - 1980 * Manon Justice - 2000 * Zaha Hadid - The First Woman To Be Awarded The Pritzker Architecture Prize - 2004 * Ellen Johnson - The ouse of Representatives in the United States - 2007 * Carol Ann Duffy - The First Woman To Be Appointed Poet Laureate Of ale Principal Chief Of The Cherokee Tribe - 1985 * Sarah Thomas - The First Woman To Referee For The NFL - 2015 * Ann ize For Fiction - 1921 * Ella Fitzgerald - the First Woman To Ever Take Home A Grammy - 1959 * Oprah Winfrey - First Black Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska - The First Woman To Run For Vice President On The Republican Ticket in the United States Woman To Win An Olympic Gold Medal - 1900 * Raymonde De Laroche – First Woman To Receive A Pilot’s Licence - 1910 rown Race * Janet Yellen – First Woman To Chair The Federal Reserve Board - 2014 * Annie Edson Taylor - The First Person a, In Bellingham, Washington * Jodie Whitaker – First Woman to Play the Role of the Doctor on BBC’s Doctor Who -2017 To Swim Across The English Channel * Frances Perkins - The First Woman Member Of A Presidential Cabinet * Jerrie Cobb York’s Metropolitan Opera House - 1975 * Reverend Barbara C. Harris - The First Woman Consecrated As A Bishop In The named Harvard University President - 2007 * Effa Manley, Co-Owner Of The Negro Leagues Team Newark Eagles, - The First ce Shuttle Mission – 1999 * Nancy Ruth Mace - the First Female Cadet To Graduate From The Citadel, The Formerly All-Male h Wharton - The First Woman To Win A Pulitzer Prize - 1921 * Amelia Earhart - The First Woman To Cross The Atlantic In The First Woman To Become A Fortune 500 CEO - 1972 * Janet Guthrie - The First Woman To Drive In The Indy 500 - 1977 * The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame - 1987 * Manon Rheaume - The First Woman To Play In An NHL Game - 1992 * Madeleine
Granite material with names and titles of female firsts carved into the stone with room for additional names
Room for viewers to spend time looking at memorial with stairs down into the memorial
Julia Morgan - First Woman Admitted To The Ecole De Beaux-Arts In Paris * Amelia Earhart - The First Woman To Cross The Atlantic In An Airplan Cabinet - 1933 * Katherine Graham - The First Woman To Become A Fort Indy 500 - 1977 * Sandra Day O’connor - The First Woman On The Suprem And Roll Hall Of Fame - 1987 * Manon Rheaume - The First Woman To Pl retary Of State - 1997 * Kathryn Bigelow - The First Woman To Win An O Nominee Of A Major Party - 2016 * Katie Sowers - First Woman And Firs American Female Police Officer * Valentina Tereshkova - First Woman In Tabei - First Woman To Summit Mt. Everest * Arlene Pieper - First Woman Millionaire * Alaska P. Davidson - First Female FBI Special Agent - 1924 Anthony - First Woman On An American Coin - 1979 * Libby Riddles - Fi Coach * Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz - First Woman To Sail Around Female Olympian - 1900 * Mo’ne Davis - First Female To Pitch A Little Demand A Vote In The American Colonies - 1648 * Opha May Johnson - F U.S. - 1855 * Genevieve R. Cline - First Female Federal Court Judge - 19 Herman - First Female Reporter In Locker Rooms - 1975 * Barbara Buttri Bandaranaike - First Female To Be Elected As Head Of Government In T Woman - 1793 * Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D. - First Woman Doctor In The dent Of The United States - 1872 * Marie Curie - The First Woman To Win Congress - 1916 * Vigdis Finnbogadottir - First Woman In The World To B - The First Woman To Play In The NHL - 1992 * Beverley Mclachlin - Ca The First Woman To Be Awarded The Pritzker Architecture Prize - 2004 * Nancy Pelosi The First Woman To Hold The Post of Speaker of the House First Woman To Be Appointed Poet Laureate Of Great Britain * Mae Carol Mankiller - First Female Principal Chief Of The Cherokee Tribe - 1985 * Dunwoody - The First Female Four-Star General In The Army - 2008 * Ed * Ella Fitzgerald - the First Woman To Ever Take Home A Grammy - 19 Blackwell - The First Woman To Earn Her Medical Degree In The United S For Vice President On The Republican Ticket in the United States * Ann The World - 1895 * Charlotte Cooper – First Woman To Win An Olympic A Pilot’s Licence - 1910 * Margaret Thatcher – First Woman Prime Minis Crown Race * Janet Yellen – First Woman To Chair The Federal Reserve B Falls In A Barrel – 1901 * Mary Davenport-Engberg - First Woman To Con – First Woman to Play the Role of the Doctor on BBC’s Doctor Who -2017 In Wyoming * Gertrude Ederle - The First Woman To Swim Across The E dential Cabinet * Jerrie Cobb - First Woman In The U.S. To Undergo Astr New York’s Metropolitan Opera House - 1975 * Reverend Barbara C. Harr Carla Hayden - The First Female Librarian Of Congress - 2016 * Drew Gil * Effa Manley, Co-Owner Of The Negro Leagues Team Newark Eagles, -
Col. Eileen Collins - First Woman Astronaut To Command A Space
s - 1898 * Edith Wharton - The First Woman To Win A Pulitzer Prize - 1921 ne - 1928 * Frances Perkins - The First Female Member Of A Presidential tune 500 CEO - 1972 * Janet Guthrie - The First Woman To Drive In The me Court - 1981 * Aretha Franklin - The First Women Elected To The Rock lay In An NHL Game - 1992 * Madeleine Albright - The First Female Secscar For Best Director - 2010 * Hillary Clinton - First Female Presidential st Openly Gay Coach In Super Bowl History - 2020 * Marie Owens - First n Space * Sally Priesand - First American Ordained Female Rabbi * Junko n To Finish A Marathon - 1959 * Sarah Breedlove - First Female Self-Made 4 * Nellie Tayloe Ross - First Woman Elected Governor - 1925 * Susan B. irst Female Iditarod Winner - 1985 * Nancy Lieberman - First Female Nba d The World Solo - 1976 * Margaret Abbott - First American First-Place League World Series Shutout - 2014 * Margaret Brent - First Woman To First Female Marine * Emeline Roberts Jones - First Female Dentist In The 922 * Diane Crump - First Female Kentucky Derby Jockey - 1970 * Robin ick And Joanne Hagen - First Televised Female Boxers - 1954 * Sirimavo The World * Hannah Slater - Received The First U.S. Patent Granted To A e United States * Victoria Woodhull - The First Woman To Run For Presin A Nobel Prize - 1903 * Jeannette Rankin - The First Female Member Of Be Elected Head Of State In A National Election - 1980 * Manon Rheaume anada’s First Woman Supreme Court Chief Justice - 2000 * Zaha Hadid * Ellen Johnson - The First Woman Elected To Head An African Country * e of Representatives in the United States - 2007 * Carol Ann Duffy - The Jemison - The First African American Woman To Travel To Space * Wilma Sarah Thomas - The First Woman To Referee For The NFL - 2015 * Ann dith Wharton - First Woman To Win The Pulitzer Prize For Fiction - 1921 959 * Oprah Winfrey - First Black Female Billionaire - 2003 * Elizabeth States - 1849 * Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska - The First Woman To Run nie “Londonderry” Cohen Kopchovsky – First Woman To Bicycle Around c Gold Medal - 1900 * Raymonde De Laroche – First Woman To Receive ster Of Great Britain - 1979 * Julie Krone – First Woman To Win A Triple Board - 2014 * Annie Edson Taylor - The First Person To Go Over Niagara nduct A Symphony Orchestra, In Bellingham, Washington * Jodie Whitaker - Nellie Tayloe Ross - The First Woman To Serve As Governor Of A State, nglish Channel * Frances Perkins - The First Woman Member Of A Presironaut Testing - 1953 * Sarah Caldwell - The First Woman To Conduct At ris - The First Woman Consecrated As A Bishop In The Episcopal Church * lpin Faust – First Women to be named Harvard University President - 2007 The First Woman Elected To The Baseball Hall Of Fame - 2006 * Lt.
Shuttle Mission – 1999 * Nancy Ruth Mace - the First Female Cadet
The Location
As the monument is very large, it requires an open area, allowing for the viewers to spend time in the monument and study or explore the names included on the monument.
n
The National Mall in Washington DC is a major wellknown spot for monuments for the United States and the world. I was surprised to learn that there is only one monument recognizing women on the National Mall and the Women of Vietnam memorial is not well-known and not as commonly visited. This makes the National Mall a great place for this monument. A chance to recognize these women in such a famous area would bring much-needed light to the achievements of women in the United States and across the world.
“I am a woman. Phenomenaly. Phenomenal woman. That’s me.” -Maya Angelou