Discover the American female intellectuals & academics who have made significant contribution to their field. This list is loosely sorted by popularity and includes many great American female intellectuals & academics, such as Ann Dunham, Zora Neale Hurston, Camille Paglia, Margaret Mead and Christina Hoff Sommers.

American Female Intellectuals & Academics

Ann DunhamAnn Dunham
29 November 1942, American
Barack Obama's Mother
Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston
07 January 1891, American
Folklorist, Anthropologist

Helena BlavatskyHelena Blavatsky
12 August 1831, American, Russian
Philosopher

Margaret MeadMargaret Mead
16 December 1901, American
Cultural Anthropologist

Camille PagliaCamille Paglia
02 April 1947, American
Cultural critic

Charlotte Perkins GilmanCharlotte Perkins Gilman
03 July 1860, American
Writer
Christina Hoff SommersChristina Hoff Sommers
28 September 1950, American
Author, Philosopher

Lillian Moller GilbrethLillian Moller Gilbreth
24 May 1878, American
Mother of Modern Management

Radia PerlmanRadia Perlman
18 December 1951, American
Computer Network Engineer
Emily Greene BalchEmily Greene Balch
08 January 1867, American
Social Activist

Carol S. DweckCarol S. Dweck
17 October 1976, American
Physiologists
Tara WestoverTara Westover
27 September 1986, American
Memoirist

Donna BrazileDonna Brazile
15 December 1959, American
Political strategist

Judith ButlerJudith Butler
24 February 1956, American
Philosopher, Writer, University teacher,

Doris Kearns GoodwinDoris Kearns Goodwin
04 January 1943, American
Journalist, Historian

N. K. JemisinN. K. Jemisin
19 September 1972, American
Novelist
Janet YellenJanet Yellen
13 August 1946, American
Economist

Martha NussbaumMartha Nussbaum
06 May 1947, American
Philosopher, Writer, University teacher

Cokie RobertsCokie Roberts
27 December 1943, American
Journalist

Laura SchlessingerLaura Schlessinger
16 January 1947, American
Radio personality, Writer, Social worker,
Sarah VowellSarah Vowell
27 December 1969, American
Historian

Judy SmithJudy Smith
27 October 1958, American
Crisis manager
Aviva ChomskyAviva Chomsky
20 April 1957, American
Historian, University teacher

Carol DweckCarol Dweck
17 October 1946, American
Psychologist

Elinor OstromElinor Ostrom
07 August 1933, American
Economist, Political scientist, University teacher
Virginia DareVirginia Dare
18 August 1587, American
Colonist

Anne ApplebaumAnne Applebaum
25 July 1964, Polish, American
Columnist, Historian, Writer, Non-fiction writer,
Dee Dee MyersDee Dee Myers
01 September 1961, American
Political scientist

Iris ChangIris Chang
28 March 1968, Chinese, American
Historian, Journalist, Writer

Antonia NovelloAntonia Novello
23 August 1944, Puerto Rican, American
Former Surgeon General
Alva BelmontAlva Belmont
17 January 1853, American
socialite

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Drew Gilpin FaustDrew Gilpin Faust
18 September 1947, American
Historian, University teacher
Gayle RubinGayle Rubin
1949 AD, American
Anthropologist, university teacher, essayist, LGBT

Elizabeth LoftusElizabeth Loftus
16 October 1944, American
Psychologist, Statistician, University teacher

Ruth BenedictRuth Benedict
05 June 1887, American
Anthropologist, Folklorist, University teacher,

Deirdre McCloskeyDeirdre McCloskey
11 September 1942, American
Economist, Professor, Teacher
Tara BrachTara Brach
17 May 1953, American
Psychologist
Carol GilliganCarol Gilligan
28 November 1936, American
Psychologist, Philosopher, Non-fiction writer,

Marsha M. LinehanMarsha M. Linehan
05 May 1943, American
Psychologist, University teacher, Writer

Amy CuddyAmy Cuddy
23 June 1972, American
Psychologist

Charlotte LawsCharlotte Laws
11 May 1960, American
Politician
Eve Kosofsky SedgwickEve Kosofsky Sedgwick
02 May 1950, American
Academic Scholar

Marija GimbutasMarija Gimbutas
23 January 1921, American
Archaeologist

Grace Lee BoggsGrace Lee Boggs
27 June 1915, American
Writer, Civil rights advocate, Non-fiction writer

Mary DalyMary Daly
16 October 1928, American
Theologian, Writer, Philosopher, University

Mary AinsworthMary Ainsworth
01 December 1913, Canadian, American
Psychologist, University teacher
Mary Parker FollettMary Parker Follett
03 September 1868, American
Social Woker

Elaine PagelsElaine Pagels
13 February 1943, American
Historian
Iris Marion YoungIris Marion Young
02 January 1949, American
Political scientist, Philosopher, University

Gene Stratton-PorterGene Stratton-Porter
17 August 1863, American
Author

Irene RosenfeldIrene Rosenfeld
03 May 1953, American
Business Woman
Joan Wallach ScottJoan Wallach Scott
18 December 1941, American
Historian, University teacher

Patricia Hill CollinsPatricia Hill Collins
01 May 1948, American
Philosopher, Sociologist, University teacher,
Anne TreismanAnne Treisman
27 February 1935, British, American
Psychologist, University teacher

Anna SchwartzAnna Schwartz
11 November 1915, American
Economist

Laurel Thatcher UlrichLaurel Thatcher Ulrich
11 July 1938, American
Historian of the modern age, Historian, University

Ellen Swallow RichardsEllen Swallow Richards
03 December 1842, American
Chemist, University teacher, Economist

James Tiptree Jr.James Tiptree Jr.
24 August 1915, American
Author
Adrian PiperAdrian Piper
20 September 1948, American
Conceptual Artist

Susanne Katherina LangerSusanne Langer
20 December 1895, American
Philosopher

Judith Jarvis ThomsonJudith Jarvis Thomson
04 October 1929, American
Philosopher, University teacher

Alison GopnikAlison Gopnik
16 June 1955, American
Psychologist, Author, University teacher, Writer
Theda SkocpolTheda Skocpol
04 May 1947, American
Historian, Political scientist, Sociology,

Gertrude HimmelfarbGertrude Himmelfarb
08 August 1922, American
Historian, University teacher, Writer
Stacy SchiffStacy Schiff
26 October 1961, American
Historian, Author, Journalist, Writer, Biographer

Nel NoddingsNel Noddings
19 January 1929, American
Philosopher, University teacher

Barbara De AngelisBarbara De Angelis
04 March 1951, American
Psychologist, Writer
Patricia CronePatricia Crone
28 March 1945, American
Author

Mary Whiton CalkinsMary Whiton Calkins
30 March 1863, American
Psychologist, University teacher
Judith MartinJudith Martin
13 September 1938, American
Economist, Journalist

Alexis HermanAlexis Herman
16 July 1947, American
Politician, Sociologist

Jean RitchieJean Ritchie
08 December 1922, American
Historian, Singer, Musicologist, Musician,
Julia RobinsonJulia Robinson
08 December 1919, American
Mathematician, Philosopher, University teacher,

Rosabeth Moss KanterRosabeth Moss Kanter
15 March 1943, American
Professor
Eliza R. SnowEliza R. Snow
21 January 1804, American
Poet

Marcia McNuttMarcia McNutt
19 February 1952, American
Geophysicist

Pearl PrimusPearl Primus
29 November 1919, American
Dancer

Rosalind E. KraussRosalind E. Krauss
30 November 1941, American
Art Critic
Gerda LernerGerda Lerner
30 April 1920, American
Historian
Nancy ChodorowNancy Chodorow
20 January 1944, American
Psychologist, Writer, Sociologist

Susan AtheySusan Athey
29 November 1970, American
Economist

Elizabeth F. ElletElizabeth F. Ellet
18 October 1818, American
Writer

Linda NochlinLinda Nochlin
30 January 1931, American
Art historian
Margaret Floy WashburnMargaret Floy Washburn
25 July 1871, American
Psychologist

Mary Cover JonesMary Cover Jones
01 September 1896, American
psychologist

Sandra BemSandra Bem
22 June 1944, American
Psychologist

Eugenie ScottEugenie Scott
24 October 1945, American
Anthropologist, University teacher

Ellen LangerEllen Langer
25 March 1947, American
Psychologist, University teacher
Mary Frances BerryMary Frances Berry
17 February 1938, American
Historian

Barbara TuchmanBarbara Tuchman
30 January 1912, American
Historian
Johnnetta ColeJohnnetta Cole
19 October 1936, American
Anthropologist and educator

Sherry OrtnerSherry Ortner
19 September 1941, American
Anthropologist, University teacher
Anna Jean AyresAnna Jean Ayres
18 January 1920, American
Occupational Therapist
Eleanor J. GibsonEleanor J. Gibson
07 December 1910, American
Psychologist