Of the few historical shortlists women make as influencers in the arts, the same few names are recognized, making the catalogue of powerful and gifted females feel like an small and exclusive club. The truth is, however, that far more women than we know can be credited with contributions to the industries in which they honed their crafts. In 1940, when the world was at war and the Civil Rights Movement had yet to turn the page of history, Hattie McDaniel became the first black woman to win an Academy Award. She and Anna May Wong fought hard to pave the way for actresses of color and fight against racial stereotypes. Maria Tallchief was the first, and one of the only, Native American prima ballerinas to push past the stage wings toward the limelight. More than just performers, these women were people as well. In Hidden in History: The Untold Stories of Female Artists, Musicians, and Writers, the lives of many of these artists are explored, from Edmonia Lewis' wrongful expulsion from higher learning to the boundary-breaking talents of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm and their untraditional start as a school band. This book is an open door to the lives of 10 female artists, wordsmiths and performers whose work has often been overlooked in the dusty pages of an often male-dictated narration.
