Biographies by Time Period

Women have always been involved in the history of the city of Akron, Ohio. From its first days in the antebellum period (1825-1860) through the Civil War (1861-1865) and Reconstruction and the Gilded Age (1866-1899), Akron has relied on women to bring important innovations and services to the city. Those contributions continued in the 20th century in the Progressive Period, the “Roaring Twenties,” the Depression, World War II and the Modern times (1950-2000).

The women profiled on this site made important contributions to the city of Akron, Ohio through the jobs they held, the businesses they ran or the volunteer work they did.

Browse the “Categories” on the menu to the right to view the profiles

Biographical essays are based on primary and secondary sources. For a bibliography, click here. For information about the writers/researchers, click here.

Photo courtesy of The University of Akron Archives.