historical women – Tracy Cooper-Posey

Sybil Ludington: Teenage Girl vs. the British Empire (Sort Of)

Historical Stuff / October 19, 2025 / 18th century women, American Revolution, colonial America, female heroes, feminist history, forgotten women of history, historical myths, historical women, inspirational women, Paul Revere, Revolutionary War, storytelling history, Sybil Ludington, teenage heroine, Tracy Cooper-Posey blog, unsung women, women in history, women in war / 3 minutes of reading

In 1777, sixteen-year-old Sybil Ludington may have ridden through a stormy night to rally a scattered militia—and possibly outshone Paul Revere while doing it. Or… maybe she didn’t. The truth is tangled in legend, but the story of a teenage girl rising to the moment (and then vanishing from history) is worth dusting off. Whether myth or memory, Sybil’s ride says a lot about the women history tends to forget.

Sybil Ludington: Teenage Girl vs. the British Empire (Sort Of) Read More »

Mary Anning: She Sells Sea Shells… and Revolutionized Science

6 Comments / Historical Stuff / October 5, 2025 / 19th century, badass women, Dorset coast, forgotten women in history, fossil hunter, historical women, history storytelling, ichthyosaur, Mary Anning, paleontology, plesiosaur, science history, Tracy Cooper-Posey blog, unsung heroines, women in science, women’s contributions to science / 3 minutes of reading

Mary Anning didn’t just “sell sea shells by the seashore.” She dug ancient sea monsters out of English cliffs, rewrote what we knew about life on Earth, and got zero credit for any of it while she was alive. Why? She was poor, female, and brilliant — the historical trifecta for being completely ignored. This week, let’s talk about the fossil hunter who changed science… and got buried by it.

Mary Anning: She Sells Sea Shells… and Revolutionized Science Read More »

Grace O’Malley: Ireland’s Pirate Queen Who Refused to Stay in Her Lane

6 Comments / Historical Stuff / September 21, 2025 / 16th century, badass women, Elizabeth I, female empowerment, feminist history, forgotten heroines, Grace O'Malley, historical women, Irish history, maritime history, Pirate Queen, rebel women, storytelling history, Tracy Cooper-Posey style, women in history / 3 minutes of reading

Grace O’Malley didn’t just defy the odds—she defied an empire. Born into a world where women were expected to fade quietly into the background, she carved out a life of rebellion, leadership, and high-seas adventure. From commanding a fleet to negotiating with Queen Elizabeth I, Grace rewrote the rules for what a woman could do—and dared anyone to stop her.

Grace O’Malley: Ireland’s Pirate Queen Who Refused to Stay in Her Lane Read More »

The Real Ladies of Waterloo Bridge

6 Comments / Historical Stuff / September 7, 2025 / feminist history, feminist perspective, forgotten women, hidden history, historical inspiration, historical women, London history, MidJourney art, romance blog, underpaid labor, wartime women, Waterloo Bridge, women builders, women in history, WWII / 3 minutes of reading

During World War II, more than 350 women rebuilt Waterloo Bridge—welding and riveting under blackout skies while bombs fell overhead. They were paid less than men, naturally (insert eye-roll), and when the war ended, their names quietly vanished from the official record. It took decades and a few forgotten photographs to uncover the truth: the Ladies’ Bridge wasn’t just a nickname. It was fact. And like so many stories of women in history, it was nearly erased.

The Real Ladies of Waterloo Bridge Read More »