The whole month of March is Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day is on March 8.
It’s the perfect time to recognize some of the amazing, trailblazing women in Utah’s history.
Here are 10 women you should know in preparation for the month ahead.
10 influential women in Utah history
Martha Hughes Cannon (1857-1932)
Martha Hughes Cannon, born in Wales and raised in Salt Lake City, earned postgraduate degrees in pharmacy and medicine. She became the first resident physician at Deseret Hospital and established a school for nurses, according to KSL.
In 1896, Cannon became the first female state senator after being asked by the Democratic Party to run for the Utah State Senate. She even ran against her husband.
As a respected senator, she wrote bills on public health, which included the start of the Utah Health Department, improved sanitation and provided education to children with disabilities.
Seraph Young (1846-1994)
On Feb. 14, 1870 — decades before American women could vote — Seraph Young became the first woman to vote when she cast her vote in Salt Lake City, according to KSL.
This significant moment made Utah “the first place in the modern nation in which women exercised the same suffrage rights as men,” according to Utah Women’s History.
Alice Kasai (1916-2007)
Driven by a strong belief in unity and humanity, Alice Kasai was a leader in human and civil rights that improved conditions of marginalized groups in Utah, specifically Japanese Americans, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
During World War II, Kasai took on the role of the first president of the Japanese American Citizens League in Salt Lake while her husband was held in a Japanese internment camp.
When her husband was released, they co-founded the International Peace Garden, which was completed in 1952, as well as a student exchange program called the Sister City Project.
Mae Timbimboo Parry (1919-2007)
Mae Timbimboo Parry, a native of Utah, was a strong advocate for her tribe. She documented narratives from Shoshone tribal elders and family members, offering an alternative perspective on significant historical events, according to Deseret News.
She was also a member of the White House Council of Indian Tribal Affairs, where she helped facilitate federal programs and resources for her own tribe and various others.
Lucille Bankhead (1902-1994)
Lucille Bankhead was a descendant of one of the first African American members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a distinguished figure in the Salt Lake Valley, according to KSL.
In 1939, a Utah state representative “proposed a plan to segregate the city, relegating all black families into a designated ghetto,” the article said.
In protest, Bankhead not only rode a horse and wagon into the state Legislature, but continued to protest the law with the help of her Arts & Crafts Club members. Her efforts allowed Black Utahns to stay in their homes.
Olene Walker (1930-2015)
Utah has had only one female governor: Gov. Olene Walker.
Walker became Utah’s first female governor in 2003 at the age of 72. She was a passionate supporter of education and was renowned for “her grit, charisma, and intelligence,” according to Utah Women’s History.
“I’ve always thought leadership was the ability to get things done,” said Walker. “I look and say, ‘These are the things we need to do. Let’s get them done.‘”
Barbara Toomer (1929-2018)
Barbara Toomer started her career as a United States Army Nurse, according to Utah Women’s History. But after the birth of her first son, she contracted polio, which caused her to lose the use of her legs and be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
But that didn’t slow her down.
She became a strong advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities, according to Deseret News. She co-founded the Utah Independent Living center, helped organize Advocates for Utah Handicapped and was involved in Americans Disabled for Accessible Public Transit.
Ann Valentine (1932-2018)
If you’re a college athlete, you have Ann Valentine to thank. She was influential in elevating women’s athletics in Utah and the NCAA, according Utah Women’s History.
Valentine came to Utah in 1965 and started coaching the women’s tennis team at Brigham Young University in 1969. During her 23 years at BYU, her teams achieved 71% wins, won 15 conference championships and ranked in the Top 20 19 times.
In 1995, Valentine become BYU’s Association Director of Women’s Athletics, where she added women’s softball and soccer teams and improved the infrastructure for women’s sports nationwide.
Becky Lockhart (1968-2015)
According to Utah Women’s History, Becky Lockhart went from a shy mother to the first female Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives.
It was a long and hard road, but when she got there she restored balance to the House of Representatives, stayed loyal to her House members and handled tough issues “with grace and fairness.”
Lockhart also took on the mantel of being a strong female leader to other women and girls, encouraging them to reach their potential.
Gail Miller (1943-Present)
When her husband, Larry Miller, died in 2009, he left a business empire that included the ownership of car dealerships, the Utah Jazz and other businesses, according to KSL.
With Gail Miller at the reins, The Larry H. Miller Company has continued to soar in both size and value. Forbes estimates that it has a fortune of $4.2 billion.
Additionally, Miller has created multiple foundations that focus on education, humanitarian work and community outreach, according KSL.