PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — March 8 is International Women’s Day, a holiday that honors women’s countless triumphs throughout history — despite the gender inequalities that created barriers for them.
Many iconic female figures have roots in Portland, and Oregon as a whole. Here are just a few that have solidified their place in history.
Beatrice Morrow Cannady
In the early 1900s, Beatrice Morrow Cannady used her role as the editor at Oregon’s biggest and only African American publication The Advocate to further the civil rights movement. Cannady quickly became known for her activism, as a co-founder of the NAACP’s Portland Branch and the leader of demonstrations against silent film The Birth of a Nation.
Thelma Payne
According to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, Thelma Payne made strides in the swimming and diving scene after getting her start at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Born in 1896, Payne went on to break records at the Antwerp 1920 summer Olympics where she became the first Oregon woman to win an Olympic medal.
Beverly Cleary
Longtime Portlanders may know that a number of Beverly Cleary’s award-winning children’s books were set right in Northeast Portland, where her family lived while she was growing up. The author published her first book in 1950, and her work has continued to impact generations of kids. Cleary’s Ramona series even inspired the 2010 film Ramona and Beezus, starring Joey King and Selena Gomez.
Mercedes Deiz
The Oregon Encyclopedia, a project created by the Oregon Historical Society, named Mercedes Deiz a “trailblazer in the Oregon legal community.” As a first-generation American, Deiz became the first Black woman admitted to the State Bar as well as the first woman of color to serve as a judge in Oregon.
Gert Boyle
In the late 1930s, Gert Boyle’s family fled from Germany as the Nazis took control. Shortly after relocating to Portland, her father founded what is now known as Columbia Sportswear Company. But after Boyle and her son took over the reins in 1970, the brand became “one of the largest outdoor and active lifestyle apparel and footwear companies in the world.”
Barbara Roberts
Oregon’s first female governor Barbara Roberts came into office in 1991. A graduate of Portland State University and Harvard University, Roberts spent much of her political career advocating for public education, environmental management and children with disabilities. In 2022, she released A Voice for Equity — a collection of the speeches she delivered throughout her time in government.
Ann Curry
Ann Curry attended Ashland High School and the University of Oregon before building a career as a world-renowned journalist. She is best known for her roles with NBC News and Dateline NBC, and for being one of Today’s longest-serving news anchors. Since her career began in 1978, Curry has won three Emmy Awards for excellence and outstanding coverage in the news industry.