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00:00If you were asked to picture the most successful pirate of all time, who would you imagine?
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most groundbreaking women
00:11whom the history books don't accord the recognition they deserve.
00:15When I'm gone, remember everything it took to get you.
00:23Number 20. Grace O'Malley
00:26Few female pirates in history have gained the same recognition as their male counterparts,
00:31and Grace O'Malley is one of the overlooked.
00:34Born in 1530 to a noble Irish dynasty, O'Malley showed her fearless spirit early on,
00:40cutting off her hair to join her father's sailing expedition.
00:43I think of Grace O'Malley not only as a fighter in terms of being able to use the sword,
00:49but I also think she was a very intelligent woman, very much able to use her mind.
00:55She succeeded her father as their clan leader and commanded a fleet that dominated the seas off
01:01Ireland's west coast. O'Malley boldly defied the English. In 1593, she negotiated the release of
01:08her brother and sons from English captivity by meeting personally with Queen Elizabeth I. Remarkably,
01:15she refused to bow to the Queen as she deemed her an equal. O'Malley remains a legendary figure in
01:20Ireland, although her exploits are often left out of history books.
01:24Devoutly religious male historians must have thought Grace O'Malley set a dangerous example as
01:30a woman who overstepped the bounds of womanhood, the most amazing clan leader and mariner of her time.
01:37Number 19. Rosalind Franklin
01:39While scientist duo Watson and Crick are associated with DNA's double helix structure,
01:45Franklin was also a big part of this influential discovery. A chemist and X-ray crystallographer,
01:51Franklin was a researcher at King's College in London. In 1952, she and her student took pictures
01:57of DNA, including the pivotal photo 51. The now famous X-ray portrait not only confirmed the double
02:03helical shape, but also hinted at its manner of replication. Franklin continued her analysis,
02:08unaware that at nearby Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, Watson and Crick were working on their own models,
02:13but still unable to confirm the helical structure. Without her knowledge, Franklin's colleague,
02:18Morris Wilkins, showed photo 51 to Watson. Watson and Crick used the X-ray image to support their own
02:24research, while Franklin's own research was downplayed. Franklin died of ovarian cancer at only 37,
02:31and never lived to see the growing recognition of her work. With awards, buildings, and even a play
02:37in her honor, Franklin's contributions to science will always be remembered.
02:41I want people to think about everything that Rosalind Franklin accomplished, and how much more she could
02:50have accomplished had she not been isolated and marginalized. Number 18. Victoria Woodhull.
02:58Today, multiple women have vied for the US presidency, but none of that would be possible without Victoria
03:04Woodhull, who was the first to do so in 1872. A fierce advocate for women's suffrage in labor reforms,
03:11Woodhull also supported free love, which championed women's rights to marry, divorce,
03:17and have children without government interference. The general theme of what she was saying is still
03:22very applicable today, as far as who is anybody else to say, who is anybody else to judge,
03:28my love life, and who I want to spend time with." Additionally, she was a pioneer on Wall Street,
03:35co-founding the first female-led brokerage firm with her sister, Tennessee Claflin. Together,
03:40they also ran a newspaper that once published an expose on the extramarital affair of a prominent
03:46minister, resulting in Woodhull's arrest on obscenity charges. Woodhull passed away in 1927,
03:53and was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2001.
03:59If I had to explain to a student what they should learn in history that isn't actually taught in
04:07textbooks, I would say to find the hidden gems like Victoria Woodhull. Number 17. Nana Asma'u.
04:16This Nigerian princess and poet was born in 1793 to Usman Danfodio, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate,
04:25in present-day northern Nigeria. Danfodio prioritised universal education in his kingdom,
04:31and so Asma'u was well-educated in global classics and fluent in four languages.
04:37She decided basically, the way that these men are behaving and fighting amongst themselves,
04:42I've got no time for it. She literally started a woman's movement of her own.
04:49Determined to pass on this knowledge, she established a network of female teachers,
04:54who travelled across the caliphate to educate women in rural areas, who in turn taught others.
05:00This became a movement known as Yan Taru, which still exists today and continues to play a crucial
05:07role in promoting female education, especially in northern Nigeria.
05:11You have places where women have their own centres, their own Qur'an memorisation centres,
05:16they study maliki fiqh, they have their own, what they call it, even they call it a susu,
05:22in terms of the way they support each other. Asma'u was also a prolific writer,
05:27who produced a vast collection of prose and poetry in different languages.
05:32Number 16. Maya Darin
05:34Often hailed as the mother of American avant-garde filmmaking,
05:37Maya Darin was born in Ukraine and immigrated to the US with her parents to escape anti-Semitic pogroms.
05:43She began exploring filmmaking in the early 1940s, using her inheritance to shoot her first film,
05:50Meshes of the Afternoon. Darin's work broke away from conventional filmmaking techniques
05:55and became known for its innovative editing, visual symbolism and non-linear storytelling.
06:00One image is always becoming another. That is, it is what is happening that is important in my films,
06:06not what is at any moment. This is a woman's time since, and I think it happens more in my
06:11films
06:12than in almost anyone else's.
06:13Her fascination with Haitian voodoo led her to document the religion, although she passed away
06:19before she could complete the project. It was later released posthumously as Divine Horseman,
06:24The Living Gods of Haiti. Darin helped to establish experimental film as a respected art form,
06:29founding the Creative Film Foundation to support independent filmmakers.
06:33Films are way more than just a script. A script is just literature. That's not the movie itself.
06:38They have a unique language and vocabulary that has yet to been fully fleshed out.
06:42And what I really, really love about Maya Darin is her work reflects this pursuit of the cinematic language.
06:4815. Mary Seacole
06:50The daughter of a Scottish soldier and a Jamaican traditional healer,
06:54Mary Seacole followed in her mother's footsteps and became a nurse. After treating patients of the
07:001850 cholera epidemic in Jamaica, Seacole sought to apply her skills during the Crimean War. However,
07:06she was rejected by the British War Office, possibly due to her race. Undeterred,
07:11she travelled to Crimea independently and opened the British Hotel, offering food, medicine and
07:17supplies to soldiers. As well as treating soldiers at her hotel in Crimea, Mary would also visit the
07:23battlefront on her horse, taking sandwiches, drinks, bandages and medicines with her.
07:28Despite arriving after the major battles were over, Seacole cared for the wounded and comforted the dying,
07:34earning the troops affection as Mother Seacole. Although her efforts were overlooked for nearly a
07:40century, she is now celebrated as a pioneering nurse and humanitarian.
07:45Now, we'll get you a statue, obviously. Yeah, maybe get a university wing named after you.
07:51Oh, how would you feel about being featured in an historical sketch show for the BBC?
07:57Number 14. Nancy Wake. This tough-as-nails spy started out as a freelance journalist,
08:03and ended up as a French resistance hero. In the mid-30s, Wake visited Vienna and saw
08:09Nazis assaulting Jews in the streets. From then on, she knew that she had to stop them.
08:24When Germany invaded France in 1940, Wake joined the resistance as a courier and guide for allied
08:31soldiers and refugees. Trained in England, she strengthened ties between Britain and the resistance,
08:36and her efforts led to many guerrilla victories. Always on her tail, the Gestapo could never catch
08:45the woman they called the White Mouse. Wake passed away in 2011 at the age of 98,
08:51and is one of the most decorated servicewomen of World War II.
08:55Number 13. Noor Inayat Khan. Not only was this brave woman a British spy,
09:00she was also a Sufi princess. Khan was a children's author in Paris when the war broke out,
09:06and fled to England in 1940. Although her father's Sufi teachings had made her a pacifist,
09:12the tyranny of Nazi Germany made her join the war effort. She became a radio operator for British
09:17intelligence shortly thereafter, and was next sent to Paris to work for the French resistance. While
09:22many members of her network were arrested, Khan continued to work while trying to evade capture.
09:28When the Gestapo searched her on the train, she gave them a casual tour of her film projector.
09:33When an officer spotted her hanging her aerial, she chatted about her passion for listening to
09:38music on the radio, and charmed him into helping her set up the cable.
09:42In October 1943, a colleague betrayed her, and Khan was imprisoned in Paris by the SS. Even though
09:49she faced horrible conditions, Khan defied her captors until the end. She was executed in Dachau,
09:55Germany in 1944, and has since earned her place among Britain's wartime heroes.
10:01Nor has been honored as a hero who waged secret battles behind enemy lines,
10:05paving the way for freedom without ever taking a life.
10:09Number 12. Huta Loon
10:11Before WWE Divas, there was Huta Loon, a beautiful Mongol princess who happened to love wrestling.
10:18A descendant of Genghis Khan, she was a skilled warrior who often joined her father in battle.
10:23When she wasn't killing it at the front, she could be found wrestling opponent after opponent.
10:29Huta Loon has grown more fierce with age, and more beautiful.
10:39It appears my daughter will never take a husband.
10:43Huta Loon could wrestle anyone she wanted, and she didn't do it just for kicks. If Huta Loon won,
10:49she'd get 100 horses. If she lost, she'd marry her opponent. Needless to say,
10:54Huta Loon ended up with a lot of horses.
10:57My herds have multiplied, but I will find Kutula in her match.
11:03You should challenge her, Byamba. You are a powerful warrior.
11:07She allegedly married someone she met outside her lucrative hobby, and died in 1306. Largely unknown
11:13outside of Mongolia until recently, this unbeatable princess wrestled her way into history.
11:20Number 11. Wu Zetian
11:21She was the only female emperor to reign in her own right in Chinese history, and a polarizing figure to
11:28boot. Depending on the sources, Wu Zetian was either a ruthless woman who wasn't above having
11:34her own relatives killed to take the throne, or a highly effective leader who improved the lives of
11:39commoners. The truth lies somewhere in between. This is part of an intentional process, an intentional
11:46destruction of vestiges of female power during the late 7th and early 8th century. The Confucian
11:53patriarchy striking back and re-establishing normative power. Wu purged a lot of the
11:59competition to become emperor, but also managed to purge corruption, expand the civil service system,
12:04and make Buddhism more prominent. She even headed a brand new dynasty for 15 years, which ended upon
12:11her abdication and death in 705. Despite her controversial reign, or maybe because of it,
12:17Wu continues to captivate us centuries later.
12:20For her entire idiosyncratic, unprecedented political career, defied labels, and for 1300
12:29years she's defied historical verdict. Number 10. Bessie Coleman
12:34At a time when US flying schools barred African Americans, Native Americans, and women, Bessie
12:40Coleman, who ticked all three boxes, faced a slim chance of becoming a pilot. However, she decided to
12:46move to France to actualize her dream. She was a manicurist, but she decided she loved the idea
12:53and the adventure of flying. In 1921, Coleman earned her international pilot's license from
12:59the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, becoming the first African American woman and
13:05Native American to do so. After returning to the US, she became known for her daring aerial shows,
13:11which drew large crowds. She was a small little woman, you know, but she'd go up in that aircraft
13:16and she'd do her loops and her flips and, you know, recover from stalls at the very bottom and
13:22blow everybody away. She also challenged racial inequality by refusing to perform for audiences
13:28that excluded African Americans. Coleman aimed to open a flight school for people like her,
13:34but that dream was cut short when she tragically died in a plane crash in 1926.
13:39A young pilot established a school in her honour, the Bessie Coleman Aero Club. The founder of the
13:45club said in his book, which he dedicated to Bessie, that because of Bessie Coleman, we have overcome
13:50that which was worse than racial barriers. We have overcome the barriers within ourselves.
13:559. Ya Asantawa
13:57As the queen mother of the Ashanti Empire in present-day Ghana, Ya Asantawa's primary duty was
14:04to protect the Golden Stool, a symbol of Ashanti sovereignty. In the late 19th century, after exiling
14:10the king to Seychelles, the British colonists demanded the Golden Stool. This enraged Asantawa.
14:16While some male leaders hesitated, she took charge and led Ashanti forces in a rebellion known as the
14:23war of the Golden Stool. Despite being in her 60s at the time,
14:35Asantawa fought on the front lines, inflicting significant losses on the British side. Although
14:40the Ashantis eventually lost the war and Asantawa was exiled, the colonists never laid hands on the
14:47Golden Stool. Today, Asantawa's bravery and resistance are celebrated in Ghana and across Africa.
14:53Ya's actions are woven into the fabric of Ghanaian, African and the black diaspora's history.
15:00She literally stands as a symbol of black power.
15:048. The Mirabal Sisters
15:07These Dominican sisters, Patria Minerva and Maria Teresa, fought the brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo.
15:15Through their resistance group, the Movement of the 14th of June,
15:19they issued anti-Trujillo pamphlets and planned revolt.
15:22In January of 1960, they called representatives together from all over the country
15:28to establish the movement's structure and prepare an uprising. But it was not to be.
15:34Mineva and Maria Teresa were arrested, but were freed after the Organization of American States
15:41intervened. Their freedom was short-lived, however. On November 25, 1960, the sisters were driving home
15:48from visiting Minerva and Maria Teresa's jailed husbands when Trujillo's henchmen beat them to death.
15:54Trujillo was assassinated six months later, and the Mirabal surviving sister, Didi, dedicated her life
16:01to preserving the women's memory. To commemorate the sisters, November 25 is the International Day for
16:07the elimination of violence against women. These sisters were not only badass, they're also national heroes.
16:13Their courageous fight for justice has inspired generations.
16:177. Hatshepsut
16:191400 years before Cleopatra, another female pharaoh ruled over ancient Egypt, after her husband,
16:26Thutmose II, died. Hatshepsut ruled alongside her stepson, Thutmose III, eventually becoming a pharaoh in her own right.
16:35Hatshepsut was usually depicted with feminine features, along with the king's false beard to show her power.
16:42Hatshepsut also did what previous pharaohs had done. She built great monuments, including a huge
16:48memorial temple to herself. Deir al-Bari, one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world.
16:55Her 20-year reign was mostly peaceful and prosperous. Hatshepsut built many monuments and embarked on
17:01trade expedition to the land of Punt. 20 years after her death, traces of her memory were destroyed,
17:08with some believing that her stepson, Thutmose III, was to blame. While later research casts doubt on
17:14this theory, we're fortunate that enough has survived from her reign so that Hatshepsut won't
17:20be forgotten any time soon. But once her name was found and reconciled with her image and prosperous
17:26reign, she gradually came back to life and assumed her rightful place as one of the greatest pharaohs
17:32in Egypt's history. Number 6. Irena Sendler
17:35When World War II began, Irena Sendler, a social worker for Warsaw, Poland, couldn't ignore the horrors
17:42around her. Working with the Polish underground resistance, Sendler helped smuggle 2,500 Jewish
17:47children out of the Warsaw ghetto, giving them new identities and placing them in convents or with
17:53sympathetic families. She also kept meticulous records, hoping to reunite these children with
17:58their families when the war was over. In 1943, Sendler was arrested by the Gestapo and tortured, but she
18:20refused to reveal any information. For this, she was sentenced to death. However, she narrowly escaped
18:25execution after the resistance bribed Nazi officials to release her. Sendler's bravery saved countless
18:31lives, and after the war, she was recognized by Israel, Poland, and the United States.
18:46Number 5. Ching Si
18:48This former sex worker became one of the most feared and successful pirates of the South China coast.
18:54Her husband, Cheng Yi, was already known as the commander of the Red Flag Fleet. After he died in 1807,
19:01Ching took the helm. She introduced a passport system, which meant salt merchants had to buy
19:06safe passage from the pirates. Soon this extended to all types of merchant and fishing vessels.
19:13She even set up tax offices to collect fees. Who knew piracy required so much paperwork?
19:18By 1810, she oversaw a fleet of up to 80,000 pirates. No small feat. She also set up a
19:25strict code of
19:26conduct to keep them in line, unless they wanted to lose their heads. Whether it was Chinese officials,
19:31the Portuguese, or the British, nobody could defeat the Red Flag Fleet. When the government offered amnesty
19:37to pirates, Ching retired, keeping her loot and running a gambling house. By land or by sea,
19:42Ching was unstoppable.
19:44What do I even tell my crew? That you vanquished mythical creatures to bring them home?
19:48No one will ever believe me. That's what makes a good legend.
19:51Number 4. Queen Nzinga of Ndongo
19:54And Matambo
19:55Born into the royal family of Ndongo in modern-day Angola, Queen Nzinga was privy to military and
20:02diplomatic training at a young age. This would prove invaluable in her adulthood.
20:07What would you do if you were in my place?
20:12I would find a way to unite the kingdom. Use all our might to drive the Portuguese back to where
20:18they
20:18came from. Nzinga became known for her political savvy and led a fierce resistance against Portuguese
20:24colonization. After her brother King Mbandi died in 1624, Nzinga, who had previously negotiated with
20:31the Portuguese and spoke their language fluently, became queen. However, the Portuguese, threatened
20:36by her policies, backed a rival and declared war on her in 1626. Nzinga responded with guerrilla
20:43warfare, forming a key alliance with the Dutch to counter the Portuguese. Not only did she retain
20:49control of Ndongo, she later conquered the kingdom of Matambo, uniting the two in a formidable regional
20:55power. Nzinga was a mother of a nation, but she loved her country. And for that, she made great
21:01sacrifices. But those sacrifices ensured the independence of her kingdom, while the rest of
21:10Africa was swallowed by imperialism. Number 3. Rani Lakshmi Bai of John C. Rani Lakshmi Bai of John C.
21:18was born in either 1828 or 1835, which means she was likely only 22 years old when she stood up
21:25to the
21:25British. Lakshmi Bai was the wife of Maharaja of John C., who died before she could give birth to an
21:31heir. Before his passing, the Maharaja named an adopted heir, but the British governor-general of
21:37India refused to recognize him and annex John C. Unwilling to surrender her kingdom, Lakshmi Bai joined
21:43the 1857 rebellion, mobilizing her own troops into battle. Despite being vastly outnumbered, she mounted a
21:50fierce resistance against the British. When John C. fell in 1858, she escaped and continued fighting,
21:57but was ultimately killed in the state of Gwalior. Her unwavering courage, however, remains undefeated.
22:03We must unite in one incarnation.
22:09Number 2. Jeanne de Clisson
22:11This Breton noblewoman's third husband was executed for treason during the Hundred Years' War. Jeanne then
22:18swore revenge on France. She sold her belongings to fund a small army, fighting on land before becoming
22:25a pirate in the English Channel. She and her children reached England, where Edward III is said
22:30to have given her three ships.
22:32She paints them black and the sails red, and she basically became Vengeance Incarnate.
22:39Along with her forces, Jeanne supposedly beheaded French nobles herself, always sparing a few to
22:44report to the French king. Sources differ on her pirating days. She was at sea anywhere from 5
22:50months to 13 years, but they ended once she married an English military deputy. While much of her life
22:56is the stuff of legends, her resolve was all too real.
23:00It became like a ghost story for a lot of, like, French nobles and stuff. Like,
23:04you don't go out in the sea at night because you're gonna get killed by the lioness.
23:07Yes.
23:08You know, I thought that was awesome.
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23:261. Amani Rainis
23:28The Roman army was one of the most formidable military forces in ancient history, which enabled
23:34Rome to conquer many kingdoms. However, there was one that stood firm against their advances,
23:40the Kingdom of Kush, led by Queen Amani Rainis. After seizing control of Egypt, the Romans attempted to
23:46push further south into Kush, but were met with unexpected resistance. One of the Kushite envoys
23:52gallantly presented the Romans a beautiful bundle of golden arrows and said the following words,
23:58This gift is from the Candace. If you want peace, this is a token of her warmth and friendship.
24:04If you want war, keep the arrows, because you are going to need them.
24:08Armani Rainis launched a bold counterattack, advancing into Egypt and sacking the city of Syene.
24:15Her forces managed to hold their ground for years, even in the face of the more expansive Roman army.
24:20Armani Rainis, described as having only one eye, eventually forced Rome into negotiating a peace treaty,
24:26which allowed Kush to maintain its independence and exempt it from paying any tax.
24:32Her leadership, guidance, determination and grit is second to none when it comes to African queens.
24:38And given all that history, I find it odd that her name doesn't roll off our tongue like other African
24:44queens.
24:45Which of these powerful ladies do you find the most inspiring? Let us know in the comments below.
24:50I just want to be her. Even if I recognize that I can't be all that, just give me a
24:59piece of it.
25:00Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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25:20We'll see you next time.