In a series of biographical profiles, this volume celebrates the lives and achievements of women who made history in the Golden State. Throughout California’s history, remarkable women have been at the core of change and innovation. In this fascinating volume, Gloria Harris and Hannah Cohen relate the stories of forty women whose struggles and achievements have paved the way for generations. Coming from all walks of life and entering a variety of fields—from activism and conservation to science, medicine, entertainment, and more—these women overcame prejudice, skepticism and injustice to prove that women can do anything. Visionary architect Julia Morgan designed Hearst Castle; Dolores Huerta co-founded United Farm Workers; Donaldina Cameron, the angry angel of Chinatown, rescued brothel workers; and silent film actress Mary Pickford helped form United Artists Pictures. From fearless pioneers to determined reformers, Harris and Cohen chronicle the triumphs and disappointments of diverse women who dared to take risks and break down barriers.

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Daughters of California Pioneers, Daughters of History is the unsung history of California's earliest settlers and their families. This book offers a glimpse into the exciting first chapters of California history. Beginning with the period of Mexican rule in the early 1800s, continuing through the migration from the East Coast in the early 1840s, and forging on into the gold rush days, it contains perspectives rarely encountered in conventional historical accounts. The narratives are drawn from oral histories and family and local history books.

This compilation of genealogical and biographical sketches is extracted from the first five volumes of Bancroft's seven-volume History of California. Consists of a complete register of pioneers, alphabetically arranged, listing all known information of importance about them.