✨ Join GLAD, CODIE, BGLAD, TCGLAD and OC DEAF in celebrating Deaf Women’s History Month worldwide to recognize the historical achievements and contributions of deaf women trailblazers.

 

Activism & Advocacy 

Laurent Clerc’s Wife (Eliza Crocker Boardman Clerc) – Early Deaf educator and advocate. 

Gertrude Galloway – First female president of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and first superintendent of Marie H. Katzenbach School. 

Shirley Jeanne Allen – The first Black Deaf woman to earn a doctoral degree. 

Marcella Meyer – The first deaf woman founder of GLAD 

 

Marlee Matlin – Academy Award-winning actress for Children of a Lesser God & CODA. 

Julianna Fjeld – Emmy-winning actress and advocate for Deaf representation in media. In 1986 won Emmy for outstanding drama or comedy in “Love Is Never Silent”.

Deanne Bray – Deaf actress best known for Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. 

Shoshannah Stern – Actress and creator of the TV show This Close. Actress and creator of the TV show This Close. Director of Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore documentary. 

Heather Whitestone – First Deaf woman to win Miss America (1995). 

 

Education & Linguistics 

Alice Cogswell – Alice Cogswell was a Deaf girl who became the catalyst for the establishment of the first deaf school in the United States and founding of American Sign Language (ASL) education. 

Dr. Carol Padden – One of the researchers on Deaf culture. 

Angela McCaskill – First Black Deaf woman to earn a Ph.D. in Deaf Education. 

Dr. Roslyn “Roz” G. Rosen – Educator and former Director of CSUN NCOD. 

Bobbi Cordano – First deaf woman president of Gallaudet University. 

 

Science & Medicine 

Dr. Caroline Solomon – Deaf marine biologist specializing in environmental science. 

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar – A deaf, Indian psychologist who has been awarded more than $15 million for her work towards health equity involving deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing people who use American Sign Language 

Dr. Amie Fornah Sankoh – First black deaf woman to earn STEM doctorate (PhD) degree from University of Tennesse Knoxville.

 

Sports 

Tamika Catchings – Deaf WNBA player and Olympic gold medalist. 2005 and 2006 WNBA Defense player of the year. Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA. 

Rhonda Jo Miller The first deaf player to win medals in basketball and volleyball in Deaf Olympics.

 

 #WomensHistoryMonth2025 #DeafWomenHistory #HerStory