This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPRM chapter.

In women’s history month we don’t only celebrate women in our everyday lives, but we honor those who through their art, discoveries, and works changed our perspective and made us more human. In the month of March we honor the sacrifices and honor the achievement of women of every background, country and ethnicity. Here are 10 writers who have shifted our views and have made a magnificent impact on literary genres, styles and themes.

1. Maya Angelou

Angelou’s life is reflected in her work. She paved the way for women of color in literature, becoming one of the first black female authors to garner nationwide recognition because of her unique perspective. Her most acclaimed work, I Know why the Caged Bird Sings, explores a detailed life story of a young black girl blossoming into womanhood. The text describes how she handles and fights racism towards becoming an exemplary human being.

Notable work: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

2. Alice Walker

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple explores a world where men dominate women through Celie’s point of view where we can see her grow as an intellectual, self-aware woman. Walker introduces themes such as sexuality, self-growth, and how it felt to be treated in the only life she knew of being in a male-dominated society with no form of escape. Walker describes herself as a “womanist,” her definition for a black feminist. She would turn to her personal life for inspiration for her essays and novels, introducing themes of sexuality and diversity in her many works of literature. Walker has also been an activist since the early 60’s, defending civil and women’s rights.

Notable work: The Color Purple

3. Jane Austen

Well-known for Pride and Prejudice whose main theme being the pressure parents put their daughters to find a husband, and how essential this was to women in society. Austen had a clear mindset when it came to women’s roles in society, yet the women in her novels, and herself, are well-aware of the fact that the way women were treated was unjust. In her life, Austen denied the only proposal she got in her life, because she believed that no one should wed someone if there is no love or connection.

Notable work: Pride and Prejudice

4. J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is the mother who gave birth through her computer keys to Harry Potter, an undeniable world-wide hit amongst people of all ages and and countries. Rowling’s life was no game before Harry Potter, as she lived a “rags to riches” life becoming one of the richest people in the world and the first billionaire novelist. She lost her billionaire status by donating an estimate of $160 million to charities all over the world. Rowling has inspired us to grow as humans, to become greater people no matter what are circumstances may be, and be as badass as Hermione.

Notable work: the Harry Potter series

5. Virginia Woolf

Mrs. Dalloway’s memorable introduction grasps the author through a single sentence: “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself”. Virginia Woolf in her lifetime wrote essays on literary history, women’s writing, artistic theory, and the politics of power. Through her writing, she wanted to shed light to the inner emotions of women. She’d also shed a light on how hard it was for females to face the work field in a time when the entire writing industry was completely male dominated.

Notable work: Mrs. Dalloway

6. Julia de Burgos

A ferocious writer and uninhibited lover, Julia de Burgos was a great Puerto Rican poet. Her words and poetry have been cemented in history as words of power and affirmation for many feminist activists both within and outside the Island. Suffering from heartbreaks and depression, she would give her feelings life through her poetry until her death in 1953. She was also civil right’s activist, focusing on women and Afro-Caribbean writers.

Notable work: All her poetry

7. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

You can understand all her work by this phrase: “We should all be feminists,” Chimamanda, a native of Nigeria, has gained global fame because of her unique perspective and incessant fight for gender equality. From poetry to short story and novels, she has done a great impact in the literary world as an African voice of consciousness in a male dominated world.

Notable work: Americanah

8. Isabel Allende

Arguably the most important Latin woman author of today, raised in a very political family, Allende harnessed a special perspective of life. Her writings portray a strong sense of self and of consciousness which only she can achieve, when you read her its like you are being bewitched.

Notable work: The House of the Spirits

9. Sylvia Plath

Plath, a Boston Native, was one of the most important figures in the genre of confessionalism that took place in the late 50’s extending through the 1960’s. Although better known for her poetry which touched themes regarding life, love, and personal experiences, The Bell Jar touched many women’s hearts by exposing the inner struggles of double standards and the search for selfhood. Plath remains a staple for young women struggling with mental illness, as well as going against the norm of settling down by acquiring a masters degree and becoming a full-time writer, a dream she never gave up growing up.

Notable work: The Bell Jar

10. Juana Inés de la Cruz

Commonly known as the tenth muse and the phoenix of America, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz fought against a misogynistic church that got to the point of banning her from writing because of her views on women’s education and women in church. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is a role model, and could be considered one of the first feminists of the Americas.

Notable work: all her poetry

Ten Women Who Have Shaped Literary History