The 1848 Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention is usually considered the kickoff of the women's suffrage effort and other women's rights activism. Read more about this event: who was there and what happened that was so important? Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention

On April 30, 1796, George Washington became the first President of the United States, and Martha Washington the first First Lady. The title "First Lady" was not used during Martha's time in that position, but her gracious hosting in the seats of government -- then New York and Philadelphia -- helped to set a standard for those who followed her. Ironically, Martha Washington did not want her husband to become the president.

Read more about America's First First Lady: Martha Washington

A reader's question about some confusing information she found in writings about Mary Church Terrell prompted me to write about how easy it is for mistakes to creep into women's history writing, if one is not alert for details and careful to check multiple sources and resolve discrepancies. I've included the Mary Church Terrell example and one other to illustrate the kind of mistakes I've too frequently found in articles in encyclopedias, other reference books and in Wikipedia. Read more:

• Writing Women's History: Mistakes in Women's History.

The Brontė sisters -- Charlotte, Anne, and Emily -- published first as poets, under the names Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. They used masculine pseudonyms because, as Charlotte Brontė wrote later, "we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice." Then, after that joint effort, they began working on individual novels, working to fulfill their dream of becoming "authoresses."

Learn more about these famous poets and novelists:

• Charlotte Brontė
• Anne Brontė
• Emily Brontė
• Charlotte Brontė Quotes
• Emily Brontė Quotes
• About Emily and Anne Brontė, by Charlotte Brontė