Trace the Steps of 10 Trailblazing Virginia Women

Even from Virginia’s earliest colonial period, influential women left their mark on history and made steady progress on the path towards equality. While these women came from sometimes starkly different circumstances and eras, they share a common sense of ambition, courage, and refusal to acquiesce to the status quo.

Virginia is scattered with historic sites that bear the imprint of these women’s efforts. Learn how you can see firsthand how these incredible Virginia women advanced the cause of humanity.

Mary Willing Byrd

William Byrd III financed the building of the lavish Westover Plantation, adding to his family's considerable stock of residences. But despite their wealth, the project left Byrd completely insolvent, saddled with crushing gambling debts, dodgy investments, and profligate spending. He took his own life on New Year's Day in 1777. His wife, Mary Willing Byrd, would inherit his debt, along with the responsibility of caring for 10 children. 

Mary used her savvy business knowledge and resources at her disposal to sell many of the family's properties and maintain control of Westover, even throughout the Revolutionary War. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Westover Plantation | Explore the landscaped gardens and main floor of the historic estate. 
• Library of Virginia | See a 1773 portrait of Mary by William Pratt.

Dolley Madison

Dolley Payne already counted Patrick Henry and George Washington amongst her extended family when she began a whirlwind romance with 43-year-old bachelor James Madison in 1794. A gracious host, Dolley made favorable impressions on domestic and foreign statemen alike, adding weight to her husband's presidential bid in 1809. She is said to have defined the role of the First Lady for centuries to come. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Montpelier | Tour the home of James and Dolley Madison and see what life was like for the family as well as the enslaved people who built and maintained the estate.
• Historic Leesburg | Trace the path of the First Lady as she escaped with important documents and a portrait of George Washington when the British burned the first White House at the outset of the War of 1812.

Mary Richards Bowser

Richmond native Mary Richards Bowser was a free woman of color who posed undercover as an enslaved person in the White House of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Although facts about Richards' precise efforts during the war are sparse, she went on to give several public lectures in the North and would later found a school for free Black people in Georgia. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• White House of the Confederacy | Tour the site of Bowser's clandestine efforts in Richmond. 

Emily White Fleming

Born in 1855, this early preservationist led the crusade to save Historic Downtown Fredericksburg and nearby Kenmore, which was the home of George Washington's sister, Betty Washington Lewis. Fleming also wrote a history of Fredericksburg, which was published in 1921. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Historic Downtown Fredericksburg | Stroll through this 40-block National Historic District to see more than 350 original 18th and 19th century buildings.
• Kenmore | Tour the Georgian-style mansion Fleming helped preserve.

Pauline Adams

Born in Ireland in the 1870s, Pauline Adams arrived in the United States two decades later and settled in Norfolk. She was known as a staunch suffrage activist, serving as president of the Norfolk League. Adams was even arrested during World War I for a demonstration in front of President Woodrow Wilson. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Elmwood Cemetery | The historic 50-acre cemetery is the final resting place of Adams, who died in 1957.

Maggie L. Walker

A Richmond native, Maggie Walker is one of the best-known figures from the Richmond neighborhood of Jackson Ward, nicknamed Black Wall Street at the beginning of the 20th century. Walker founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank and was the first known African American woman bank president, in addition to her work as a teacher, newspaper editor, community leader, and activist. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site | Tour Walker's home to gain perspectives on her public and private lives. 
• Walker Memorial Plaza | See a statue of Walker in Richmond and learn about her achievements.
• Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia | Head to Jackson Ward to explore the impact of influential Black Virginians of the past and present. 

Katherine Johnson

This NASA mathematician ran the vital calculations that enabled astronauts to safely circumnavigate the globe and land on the moon—all by hand. Johnson was born in West Virginia, but moved with her family to Newport News in 1953 to begin work at Langley. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Virginia Air and Space Science Center | Discover the birthplace of America's space program at NASA Langley Visitor Center. 

Alice Jackson

Alice Jackson was a pioneer in seeking educational opportunities for Black people, particularly Black women, during the Jim Crow era. A Richmond native, Jackson graduated from Virginia Union University with a degree in English in 1934. She later attended Smith College in Massachusetts, then applied to graduate school at the University of Virginia seeking a master's degree in French. 

When her application was denied due to her race, the NAACP threatened legal action, forcing the state to offer a compromise in setting up a tuition fund for Black students to attend academic programs in other states when they were not offered at in-state Black colleges. Although Jackson could not attend the University of Virginia—the school would remain segregated for years, and did not accept female students to all programs until 1970—her actions were part of a number of key moments in the pursuit of educational equality.

Historic Sites to Visit

• Robert Russa Moton Museum | Head to Farmville for a museum focused on the history of student-led action during the Civil Rights Movement.
• Virginia Union University | See Alice Jackson's alma mater in Richmond.
• Explore more education-related spots on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

"Mother" Maybelle Carter

A founding member of the original Carter Family of musicians, "Mother" Maybelle Addington Carter was born in Nickelsville, Virginia in 1909. The Carter Family Fold and Memorial Music Center honor her life and her kin, who were early pioneers in the development of Country-Western music.

Historic Sites to Visit

• Carter Family Fold and Memorial Music Center | Dig into the history of bluegrass and old-time music.

Sheila Crump Johnson

In a white-male dominated environment, Sheila Crump Johnson became a pioneer African American media entrepreneur by launching BET in 1980. She now focuses her attention on her luxurious 200-acre Salamander Resort & Spa in Loudon County and serves as vice chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which manages the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics. 

Historic Sites to Visit

• Salamander Resort & Spa | Spend quality time in horse and wine country at this resort founded by Johnson.

Chart your course today for a trip through Virginia history.