100 Women of the Century

For 72 years, TIME Magazine's most anticipated annual cover was exclusively named "Man of the Year." It wasn’t until 1999 that the title was broadened to "Person of the Year." To correct the historical record and shine a long-overdue light on the women who were systematically overshadowed, TIME launched the monumental "100 Women of the Year" project in 2020.

Selecting one trailblazing woman or group to represent every single year from 1920 to 2019, the project is a breathtaking testament to female achievement. From suffragists and scientists discovering the building blocks of DNA, to artists, activists, and heads of state, these women moved mountains. Like the slow, resilient formation of a pearl, their impact was forged through patience, grit, and an enduring strength that ultimately changed the world.

TIME's 100 Women of the Year (1920–2019)

Below is the full list of the 100 women and groups who defined the last century. Their collective achievements encompass curing diseases, writing literary masterpieces, leading revolutions, and mapping the stars.

The 1920s: The Dawn of a New Era

Women claimed the vote and broke into mathematical and artistic fields previously closed to them.

1920: The Suffragists
1921: Emmy Noether
1922: Xiang Jingyu
1923: Bessie Smith
1924: Coco Chanel
1925: Margaret Sanger
1926: Aimee Semple McPherson
1927: Queen Soraya Tarzi
1928: Anna May Wong
1929: Virginia Woolf

Coco Chanel – Liberating the Modern Woman

Honored for her profound impact on the 1920s, Coco Chanel freed women from the physical constraints of corsets, championing comfortable, practical, yet deeply elegant clothing. She gave the world the "little black dress" and revolutionized how women moved through society. As a brilliant sparkle to her legacy, she tore up the jewelry rulebook, famously layering ropes of pearls over casual knitwear to democratize luxury and declare that a modern woman dresses for herself.

The 1930s: Voices in the Dark

Pioneers in aviation, labor rights, and education pushed humanity forward during global depression.

1930: Martha Graham
1931: Maria Montessori
1932: Babe Didrikson
1933: Frances Perkins
1934: Mary McLeod Bethune
1935: Amelia Earhart
1936: Wallis Simpson
1937: Soong Mei-ling
1938: Frida Kahlo
1939: Billie Holiday

The 1940s: Courage Under Fire

Spies, codebreakers, physicists, and human rights champions who shaped the outcome and aftermath of WWII.

1940: Dorothea Lange
1941: Jane Fawcett and the Codebreakers
1942: The Resisters
1943: Virginia Hall
1944: Recy Taylor
1945: Chien-Shiung Wu
1946: Eva Perón
1947: Amrit Kaur
1948: Eleanor Roosevelt
1949: Simone de Beauvoir

The 1950s: Challenging the Status Quo

Scientists who discovered the double helix, computer programming pioneers, and civil rights catalysts.

1950: Margaret Chase Smith
1951: Lucille Ball
1952: Queen Elizabeth II
1953: Rosalind Franklin
1954: Marilyn Monroe
1955: The Bus Riders (Montgomery Bus Boycott)
1956: Golda Meir
1957: Irna Phillips
1958: China Machado
1959: Grace Hopper

The 1960s: Revolution and Rights

Activists who organized farm workers, sparked environmental movements, and fought for LGBTQ+ and civil rights.

1960: The Mirabal Sisters
1961: Rita Moreno
1962: Jacqueline Kennedy
1963: Rachel Carson
1964: Barbara Gittings
1965: Dolores Huerta
1966: Stephanie Kwolek
1967: Zenzile Miriam Makeba
1968: Aretha Franklin
1969: Marsha P. Johnson

Jacqueline Kennedy – Cultural Diplomacy

Jacqueline Kennedy brought unprecedented intellect, historic preservation, and cultural appreciation to the global stage. Honored for 1962, she used her platform for soft diplomacy, charming global leaders and successfully advocating for the arts. Her quiet strength was legendary, as was her enduring style. Often captured in her iconic triple-strand necklace, she proved her own famous adage—"Pearls are always appropriate"—showing that formidable power and soft grace can beautifully coexist.

The 1970s: The Second Wave

Feminist icons, disability rights leaders, and medical pioneers who redefined autonomy and health.

1970: Gloria Steinem
1971: Angela Davis
1972: Patsy Takemoto Mink
1973: Jane Roe
1974: Lindy Boggs
1975: American Women
1976: Indira Gandhi
1977: Judith Heumann
1978: Lesley Brown
1979: Tu Youyou

The 1980s: Power and Progress

Heads of state, groundbreaking athletes, and the scientists who identified the HIV virus.

1980: Anna Walentynowicz
1981: Nawal El Saadawi
1982: Margaret Thatcher
1983: Françoise Barré-Sinoussi
1984: bell hooks
1985: Wilma Mankiller
1986: Corazon Aquino
1987: Diana, Princess of Wales
1988: Florence Griffith Joyner
1989: Madonna

Diana, Princess of Wales – Fierce Compassion

Princess Diana transformed the global understanding of empathy. She bypassed rigid royal traditions to connect directly with the marginalized, famously shaking hands with AIDS patients and walking through active landmine fields to demand global policy changes. Her dynamic spirit was reflected in her modern approach to tradition, often wearing her famed sapphire-and-pearl chokers as she boldly forged her own path of humanitarianism.

The 1990s: Breaking Ceilings

Authors, supreme court justices, and diplomats who shattered glass ceilings on the world stage.

1990: Aung San Suu Kyi
1991: Anita Hill
1992: Sinead O'Connor
1993: Toni Morrison
1994: Joycelyn Elders
1995: Sadako Ogata
1996: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
1997: Ellen DeGeneres
1998: J.K. Rowling
1999: Madeleine Albright

The 2000s: A Global Perspective

Nobel Peace Prize winners, whistleblowers, and philanthropists fighting for justice, environment, and education.

2000: Sandra Day O'Connor
2001: Wangari Maathai
2002: The Whistleblowers (Cynthia Cooper, Coleen Rowley, Sherron Watkins)
2003: Serena Williams
2004: Oprah Winfrey
2005: Melinda Gates
2006: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
2007: Lilly Ledbetter
2008: Michelle Obama
2009: Malala Yousafzai

Michelle Obama – Expanding the Horizon

A brilliant lawyer, author, and formidable advocate for women and girls' education globally, Michelle Obama stepped onto the world stage exhibiting a remarkable balance of approachability and profound intellect. Whether addressing the United Nations or meeting with young students, she commanded rooms with her authentic voice. Frequently pairing classic pearls with accessible, contemporary fashion, she showed the world a new, relatable blueprint for female leadership.

The 2010s: The Voices of Tomorrow

Journalists, climate activists, and the founders of global movements demanding accountability and structural change.

2010: Nancy Pelosi
2011: Tawakkol Karman
2012: Pussy Riot
2013: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi
2014: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
2015: Angela Merkel
2016: Hillary Rodham Clinton
2017: The Silence Breakers
2018: Maria Ressa
2019: Greta Thunberg

At Grande Lilith, we find infinite inspiration in the histories of those who dared to change the world. These 100 women remind us that true legacy is built through courage, intellect, and unyielding perseverance. Which of these remarkable women inspires you the most? Share their stories and honor the trailblazers in your own life.