Most Famous Female Firsts

Most Famous Female Firsts

James Brown might have sung that it's a man's, man's, man's world, but we disagree. We ascribe more to the Aretha Franklin outlook on life, that sisters are doin' it for themselves. In honor of Women's History Month, check out 18 fabulous females who paved the way for womankind.

Mariah Carey

Famous First: First female artist to debut a single at #1 on the charts

Year: 1995

Oprah Winfrey

Famous First: First woman to own and produce her own talk show

Year: 1986

Barbra Streisand

Famous Firsts: First woman to produce, direct, write and star in a major motion picture ("Yentl"); first female composer to win the Best Song Oscar for "Evergreen" ("A Star is Born")

Year: 1983 and 1977

Beyonce

Famous First: First female artist to be awarded the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards

Year: 2007

Barbara Walters

Famous First: First female co-anchor of network evening news

Year: 1976

Whoopi Goldberg

Famous First: First woman to host the Oscars solo

Year: 1994

Jennifer Lopez

Famous First: First female spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club of America

Year: 2010

Kathryn Bigelow

Famous First: First woman to win Best Director at the Oscars

Year: 2010

Chris Evert

Famous First: First female tennis player to earn $1 million in career prize money; first tennis player, male or female, to win 1,000 singles matches

Year: 1976 and 1984, respectively