Celebrated each March, Women’s History Month shines a light on fearless, relentless, and history-making women. From rebels who refused to stay silent to visionaries who redefined what’s possible, their words continue to inspire and ignite change. These Women’s History Month quotes serve as powerful reminders of resilience, ambition, and the impact of persistence.
For nearly four decades, Women’s History Month has honored the pioneers, rule breakers, and barrier busters who have shaped the world. While history books highlight big names, progress has always been fueled by women from all walks of life leading revolutions, driving innovation, and challenging the status quo, both boldly and behind the scenes.
One of the best ways to celebrate women throughout history is by amplifying their voices. The Women’s History Month quotes in this collection offer wisdom, courage, and motivation — proof that bold, determined women have always played a vital role in shaping the future.
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Table of Contents
Inspirational Quotes by Iconic Women
History is filled with women who dared to dream big, speak up, and push boundaries — often in a world that wasn’t ready for them. Their words continue to spark ambition, reminding us that success starts with belief, courage, and a refusal to settle. These inspiring quotes from iconic women serve as motivation to keep chasing goals, breaking molds, and making history in our own way.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the United States, political activist, and first female delegate to the United Nations General Assembly
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”
— Harriet Tubman, abolitionist who volunteered on the Underground Railroad
“Do what you love, and success will follow.”
— Meg Whitman, American business leader
“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”
— Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian
“Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”
— Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States
“If you truly pour your heart into what you believe in, even if it makes you vulnerable, amazing things can and will happen.”
— Emma Watson, actress, model, and activist
“If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.”
— Mindy Kaling, actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
— Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
— Audrey Hepburn, actress and humanitarian
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
— Nora Ephron, American journalist, writer, and filmmaker
“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”
— Rosa Parks, civil rights activist
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.”
— Helen Keller, author, lecturer, and political activist
“Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. It’s hard work that makes things happen.”
— Shonda Rhimes, American television producer, screenwriter, and author
“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
— Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
— Anaïs Nin, French-Cuban-American diarist and writer
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be.”
— Diane Von Furstenberg, Belgian fashion designer
Women Empowering Women with Wisdom and Strength
Strong women don’t just lift themselves up — they bring others along with them. Whether it’s through mentorship, encouragement, or sheer defiance of outdated norms, women have always empowered each other to rise. These quotes capture the power of support, sisterhood, and the unstoppable force of women standing together.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the United States, political activist, and first female delegate to the United Nations General Assembly
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”
— Angela Davis, activist, author, and scholar
“Friends. Sisters. Mothers. Professors. When women affirm women, it unlocks our power. It gives us permission to shine brighter.”
— Elaine Welteroth, American journalist, editor, author, and television host
“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”
— Serena Williams, legendary professional tennis player
“Dream with ambition, lead with conviction … and we will applaud you every step of the way.”
— Kamala Harris, first woman to serve as vice president of the United States
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
— Alice Walker, author and activist
“As an artist, I feel more strongly than ever that my job on earth is to tell the stories of the invisibles, and women have been invisible on film for a long time.”
— Reese Witherspoon, Academy Award-winning actress and producer
“There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
— Madeleine Albright, first female US secretary of state
“The best protection any woman can have is courage.”
— Elizabeth Cady Stanton, leading figure of the early women’s rights movement and co-organizer of the Seneca Falls Convention
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
— Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States
“Do not live someone else’s life and someone else’s idea of what womanhood is. Womanhood is you.”
— Viola Davis, Academy Award-winning actress and producer
“The power you have is to be the best version of yourself you can be, so you can create a better world.”
— Ashley Rickards, actress
“You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be brave.”
— Shannon L. Alder, author
“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.”
— Melinda Gates, philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Fighting for Women’s Equality
Equality isn’t handed out freely. It’s fought for, demanded, and won through persistence. Women throughout history have challenged injustice, shattered expectations, and redefined what’s possible. These Women’s History Month quotes are reminders that the fight isn’t over, but neither is our determination to create a more just world.
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
— Audre Lorde, poet, feminist, and civil rights activist
“They’ll tell you you’re too loud — that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, American politician and activist
“My mother did not raise me to ask for permission to lead.”
— Ayanna Pressley, US Congresswoman and the first Black woman elected to the Boston City Council
“I, for one, hope for the day when women will know no restrictions because of sex but will be individuals free to live their lives as men are free
— irrespective of the continent or country where they happen to live.”
— Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer and first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
“Women should be celebrated every day, but a month dedicated to female empowerment is extremely special. It doesn’t just honor the iconic women who have changed history, but encourages new generations to dream big and know that anything is possible.”
— Molly McCook, American actress
“Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.”
— Coretta Scott King, civil rights leader and activist married to Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I raise up my voice — not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.”
— Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize-winning activist for girls’ education
“Feminism is not about making women strong. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”
— G.D. Anderson, Australian writer and women’s rights advocate
“We are never assured of justice without a fight.”
— Angela Davis, activist, author, and scholar
“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”
— Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize-winning activist for girls’ education
Fearless Women Who Changed the World
Some women rewrite history books. Others change the world in ways that never make the headlines. Whether leading revolutions, blazing new trails, or standing firm in the face of adversity, these women prove that courage and conviction can shape the future.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
— Ruth Bader Ginsburg, US Supreme Court justice
“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say — I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”
— Harriet Tubman, abolitionist who volunteered on the Underground Railroad
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
— Marie Curie, physicist and chemist who was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
— Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist
“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.”
— Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize-winning activist for girls’ education
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
— Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman elected to the US Congress
“I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.”
— Rosa Parks, civil rights activist
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
— Ida B. Wells, investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement
“A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex, but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination.”
— Betty Friedan, feminist writer and activist, co-founder of the National Organization for Women
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
— Amelia Earhart, aviation pioneer and first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
“I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves.”
— Mary Wollstonecraft, philosopher and advocate for women’s rights
“Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.”
— Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman elected to the US Congress
“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”
— Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Prize-winning activist for girls’ education
Women’s History Month Quotes About Being Resilient
Resilience comes from facing challenges head-on and finding strength on the other side. The most remarkable women in history encountered setbacks, but they refused to let obstacles define them. These quotes serve as a reminder that every challenge is an opportunity to rise even stronger.
“I will not be triumphed over.”
— Cleopatra, Egyptian ruler
“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the United States, political activist, and first female delegate to the United Nations General Assembly
“Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts — good relationships feel good.”
— Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist
“You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.”
— Mary Elizabeth Winstead, American actress
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.”
— Vivian Greene, author
“Defeat is simply the addition of time to your victory.”
— Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist
“A strong woman is a woman determined to do something others are determined not be done.”
— Marge Piercy, American poet, novelist, and social activist
“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”
— Maya Angelou, poet and civil rights activist
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
— Brené Brown, research professor and author
“I have stood on a mountain of no’s for one yes.”
— B. Smith, restaurateur, model, author, and television host
“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”
— Frida Kahlo, Mexican artist
“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.”
— Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese politician, diplomat, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
— Billie Jean King, legendary professional tennis player
“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.”
— Tina Fey, actress, comedian, writer, and producer
Short Quotes for Your Instagram Feed During Women’s History Month
A few well chosen words can be just as powerful as a long speech — especially on Instagram. These short but impactful quotes are perfect for sharing, whether you’re posting a tribute to a trailblazer or feeling empowered to blaze your own trail.
- A strong woman stands up for herself. A stronger woman stands up for everyone else.
- Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim
- Be bold. Be brave. Be unstoppable.
- Behind every successful woman is herself
- Brave women can change the world
- Breaking the mold
- Confidence looks good on you
- Creating my future today
- Don’t wait for permission
- Dream big. Stand tall. Stay fearless.
- Empowered women empower women
- Fierce, fearless, and forging ahead
- Girls with dreams become women with vision
- Glass ceilings were made to be shattered
- Here’s to strong women: May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.
- History is her story, too
- Nevertheless, she persisted
- No force is more powerful than a woman determined to rise
- Nothing can dim the light that shines from within
- One woman can make a difference, but together, we can change the world
- Ready to shatter glass ceilings
- Rewriting the rules
- She believed she could, so she did
- She remembered who she was, and the game changed
- Strong women don’t have attitudes — they have standards
- Strong women raise strong women
- The best protection any woman can have is courage
- The future is female
- There is no limit to what women can accomplish
- When women support each other, incredible things happen
- Women belong in all places where decisions are being made
- Women don’t wait for opportunities; they create them
- Women lifting women changes everything
- You are more powerful than you know. You are beautiful just as you are!
What’s Your Favorite Quote for Women’s History Month?
Which of these quotes makes you want to take action or raise a toast of gratitude in honor of a history-making woman? Is one of your favorite Women’s History Month quotes missing from this list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
