Rebel Girls From Bay Area HistoryRebel Girls From Bay Area History

Rebel Girls From Bay Area History celebrates the amazing, mostly forgotten women whose lives, actions and sacrifices helped shape today’s Bay Area. They are educators, organizers, fighters, adventurers, and so much more. Founded in 2018 by its author Rae Alexandra, this KQED Arts & Culture series brings you inspiring life stories of brave women.

Know of a Rebel Girl From Bay Area History we should include? Contact author Rae Alexandra here.

A black and white image of a 1940s-era woman standing near trucks and cars.

The Indian American Essayist Who Championed Social Justice and Feminism

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Black and white photo of a 1930s-era white woman with dark, neat hair.

The Jewish ‘Red Angel’ Who Withstood Incarceration for Workers’ Rights

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An older Arabic woman stands on a lawn looking windswept but joyful.

The Palestinian Therapist, Teacher and Music Lover Who Built Cultural Bridges

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The ‘Rolling Warrior’ Who Demanded Equality for People With Disabilities

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A smiling Asian woman wearing a white headband and spectacles raises her right fist, surrounded by others.

The Filipina Activist So Unstoppable, Her Nickname Was ‘Bullet’

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The Transgender Topless Dancer Who Went to War with Prison Authorities

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A white bespectacled woman wearing a checked dress smiles warmly at another white woman as they sit close together on a couch. A wall lined with books is behind them.

The San Francisco Couple Whose Lifelong Love Changed America

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The Dancer Who Helped Start the Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast Program

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The Pregnant Teen Who Captained a Clipper Ship in 1856

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A woman dressed in a Victorian white lace dress and black choker raises a beer mug high in the air, while smiling.

The Eccentric Saloon Owner Beloved and Defended by 19th-Century Sailors

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