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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 every other month.

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

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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A Black woman in a Red Cross uniform from the 1940s era.

The Red Cross Nurse and Shipyard Welder Who Served Long After World War II

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The Politician Who Took a Sledgehammer to Patriarchal Norms

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The Concert Promoter Who Founded Berkeley’s Legendary Rainbow Sign

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A sepia toned image of a young woman in 1914 with wavy brunette bob and long eyelashes. She is wearing pearls.

The Unrepentant Abortionist Who Defiantly Fought San Francisco Authorities

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The Indigenous Newspaper Editor Who Galvanized Native Americans

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A plump middle aged woman smiles contentedly in a kitchen.

The Blind Chef Who Brought Mexican Food to the American Masses

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A middle-aged woman with short hair smiles broadly, resting her chin on her right hand.

The Courtroom Sketch Artist Who Immortalized Bay Area Revolutionaries

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