50 of the Most Inspiring Women Ever Featured on the Cover of PEOPLE
1 of 50
Gloria Steinem, 1974
Prominent women's right's activist
1 of 50
2 of 50
Billie Jean King & Chris Evert, 1975
Tennis champions at the time of the Battle of the Sexes
2 of 50
3 of 50
Julia Child, 1975
Pioneering chef with beloved TV show
3 of 50
4 of 50
Barbara Walters, 1976
The first female co-anchor of the Today show
4 of 50
5 of 50
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 1974
Former First Lady who became an editor, arts patron and architectural preservationist
5 of 50
6 of 50
Jane Pauley, 1983
The second female co-anchor of Today and an advocate for working mothers
6 of 50
8 of 50
Gilda Radner, 1977
Saturday Night Live star
8 of 50
10 of 50
Betty Ford, 1979
First lady who was open about her battles with alcoholism
10 of 50
11 of 50
Grace Kelly, 1982
Oscar-winning actress who became the princess of Monaco
11 of 50
13 of 50
Sandra Day O'Connor, 1981
The first female justice on the Supreme Court
13 of 50
14 of 50
Geraldine Ferraro, 1984
First female candidate for vice president for a major political party
14 of 50
15 of 50
Dr. Ruth, 1985
Prominent sex-positive therapist
15 of 50
16 of 50
Madonna, 1985
International pop superstar and "man-smasher"
16 of 50
17 of 50
Cher, 1988
Legendary music icon and outspoken feminist
17 of 50
18 of 50
Tina Turner, 1985
Massively successful solo artist
18 of 50
19 of 50
Christa McAuliffe, 1996
American teacher and astronaut killed in the Columbia space shuttle explosion
19 of 50
20 of 50
Gloria Estefan, 1990
Music icon who endured a near-fatal accident and went back to performing
20 of 50
21 of 50
Connie Chung, 1990
Newscaster who opened up the dialogue about having children later in life
21 of 50
22 of 50
Anita Hill, 1991
Accused Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harrassment and started a national dialogue around workplace assault
22 of 50
23 of 50
Sandra Bullock, 1995
Oscar-winning actress and America's sweetheart
23 of 50
24 of 50
Martha Stewart, 1995
Pioneering businesswoman and television star
24 of 50
25 of 50
Princess Diana, 1998
British royal and global philanthropist (this posthumous cover was about her legacy)
25 of 50
26 of 50
U.S. Women's Soccer Team, 1999
World Cup-winning athletes
26 of 50
27 of 50
Olympic Medalists, 1996
Medal-winning athletes from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, including gymnast Kerri Strug
27 of 50
28 of 50
Olympic Figure Skaters, 1996
Olympic medal winners Kristi Yamaguchi, Oksana Baiul and Ekaterina Gordeeva
28 of 50
29 of 50
Shania Twain, 1999
Country superstar who overcame poverty to be a bestselling artist
29 of 50
30 of 50
Katie Couric, 2002
News anchor and advocate for colon health
30 of 50
32 of 50
Dr. Jerri Nielsen, 1999
American physician who self-treated her breast cancer at the South Pole
32 of 50
33 of 50
Celine Dion, 1999
International pop icon who went from poverty to superstardom
33 of 50
34 of 50
Sheryl Crow, 2006
Grammy-winning musician and breast cancer survivor
34 of 50
35 of 50
Dixie Chicks, 2003
Pioneering country trio who spoke out politically