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This project honors remarkable women that lead great change in the Raleigh and Cary—leaders in education, healthcare, civil rights, and beyond.

Their impact helped shape our community.
Take a moment to be inspired by their stories and strength.

Kate Lee Harris Adams

Kate Lee Harris Adams took flight long before it was trendy. Born in Durham, North Carolina (September 5, 1919), she graduated from Durham High School in 1937 and then earned her fine arts degree at Duke University in 1941—where she also snagged a private pilot’s license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program, back when minimal woman were accepted in comparison to men!

In 1943, she joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)—becoming part of the elite squadron that tested planes, ferried aircraft, and trained new pilots to free up men for combat duty. Kate flew aircraft like the PT‑17, BT‑13, AT‑6, and P‑40—occasionally navigating dust storms with nothing but grit (and some unexpected white goggles eye‑rings) for company. 

Kate served as both ferry pilot and flight instructor at Napier Army Air Base in Alabama, where she also met her future husband—thanks to a particularly memorable dust storm that earned her a champion stunt-landing and a chance romance. She later reminisced, “He was the silver lining in that dark cloud.

Though women like Kate often flew under the radar, she and her peers gained veteran status in 1977—and in 2009, WASP pilots were posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their wartime service.

She returned to Durham later in life, donated her WASP uniforms and photos to the North Carolina Museum of History, and attended reunions—always proudly sharing the stories of women who flew when “you’re not supposed to.” Kate passed away in 2002 at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy that quite literally took flight.

Dr. Isabella Cannon

Dr. Isabella Cannon was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on May 12, 1904, and moved to the United States with her family at age 12. Affectionately known as “the little old lady in tennis shoes,” she made big waves in small steps—with a sharp mind, global spirit, and a heart for public service.

A proud graduate of Elon College, Cannon began her career as a teacher, nurturing minds before moving into a different kind of library: the one at NC State University, where she served as Director and brought her trademark order, curiosity, and care to the academic world.

Her journey didn’t stop there. After years of international service alongside her husband in the Foreign Service, Cannon returned to Raleigh and, at age 73, defied expectations by becoming the city’s first female mayor in 1977. She led with thoughtfulness, transparency, and a firm belief in civic engagement—all while wearing those now-iconic sneakers.

Reflecting on her unexpected path, she once told graduates:

“You may think you have your future planned. So did I. I expected to be a teacher and a Southern housewife. I urge you, take risks, believe in yourselves. If you do, I can promise you that your life will never be dull.”

Her legacy lives on not only in the policies she shaped but also in Isabella Cannon Park in Raleigh, named in her honor—a quiet tribute to a woman who never stopped moving. In 1998, she was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, securing her place among the greats who reshaped American life with courage and conviction.

Dr. Isabella Cannon didn’t just make history—she inspired it, proving that leadership doesn’t always come in heels or headlines, but sometimes in a sensible pair of sneakers.

Cindy Eckert

Born in New York and then making her way to Raleigh, Cindy Eckert (yes, that pink-suit powerhouse) is the unapologetic entrepreneur who disrupted Big Pharma with a little pink pill and a lot of fearless ambition. Known for founding and selling two billion-dollar healthcare companies—including first Slate Pharmaceuticals and then Sprout Pharmaceuticals, which brought Addyi, the first-ever FDA-approved drug for women’s low libido, to market—Cindy is rewriting the rules of business, one bold move at a time. She’s not just smashing glass ceilings—she’s turning them into pink confetti.

After selling Sprout for a billion dollars and then buying it back for a fraction of that (yes, really), Cindy doubled down on her mission to elevate women economically through her venture fund and incubator, The Pink Ceiling. Based in Raleigh, NC, it’s been nicknamed “the Pinkubator” and has invested in dozens of women-led startups and was established to provide female-focused entrepreneurs with direct access to mentors, investment opportunities, and business development guidance. Whether mentoring future moguls, speaking on stages worldwide, or unapologetically championing female desire and ambition, Cindy proves that being underestimated is the ultimate power move.

Mollie Huston Lee

After earning her stripes at Howard University and snagging a scholarship to Columbia’s library school, Mollie Huston Lee made her way to North Carolina in 1930 with big dreams and an even bigger love of books. 

By 1935, Raleigh had zero libraries for Black residents. So Mollie marched right into City Hall (literally) with fellow community members—and convinced the mayor to open the city’s first Black public library: the Richard B. Harrison Public Library, opened November 12, 1935, stocked with 860 books to kick things off.

But Mollie didn’t just wait behind the desk—she became Raleigh’s first “book evangelist,” strolling the streets with a market basket full of books. She even dropped literature off at the local Black hospital so folks could read even if they couldn’t visit the library—talk about mobile story time before ‘mobile’ was a thing.

Over her 37‑year tenure, she built the Mollie Huston Lee Collection of Black Literature into a treasure trove of more than 5,000 volumes—including rare pamphlets, vertical files, fiction, nonfiction—creating a living archive of African American voices and stories. In 1972, the collection was officially renamed in her honor.

Mollie was more than a librarian—she was a civic educator wrapped in librarian garb. She organized lectures (Black and white speakers alike), reading clubs, story times, and literacy programs even for rural communities. She believed libraries should nurture better, fuller lives—not just hand out books.

She served as Supervisor of Negro School Libraries in North Carolina (1946–1953), helped found the North Carolina Negro Library Association—which later merged into the ALA—and served on the ALA council from 1950 to 1954. In 1971, she represented the ALA at the White House Conference on Aging, and became the first African American woman named “Tar Heel of the Week”.

When she retired on June 30, 1972, after 42 years in library service, she famously said she was stepping away to “have fun and do some of the things I have not had time for”—finally putting down her book basket to enjoy a well‑deserved break.

Millie Dunn Veasey

Millie Dunn Veasey was a trailblazer who didn’t just break barriers—she marched right through them in heels and with purpose. Born and raised in Raleigh, she joined the Women’s Army Corps during WWII, becoming part of the all-Black 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the only all-female, all-Black battalion deployed overseas. After the war, she didn’t slow down.

She became the first Black woman to lead the Raleigh NAACP, championed civil rights with grace and grit, and earned degrees from St. Augustine’s University and North Carolina Central—all while lifting others as she climbed. She even had a front row seat at the Martin Luther King famous, “I Have a Dream” speech.

Veasey lived to be 100, proving that resilience, service, and style never go out of fashion. A community icon, veteran, educator, and activist, she was the kind of woman who made history and then made sure others could, too.

Dr. Annie Wilkerson, MD 

Trailblazer. Baby catcher. Raleigh icon.

If you were born in Raleigh between the 1940s and the 1990s, there’s a fair chance Dr. Annie Wilkerson was the first person to welcome you into the world. With over 8,000 babies delivered—and some of those babies later becoming her patients when they gave birth—Dr. Wilkerson quite literally helped grow Raleigh, one generation at a time.

Her 55-year career in medicine began in 1940, when she became the first woman to complete an internship and residency at Rex Hospital. At a time when female physicians were practically unheard of, Dr. Wilkerson didn’t just step through doors—she kicked them open. Raleigh’s first female OB-GYN, she was a key force behind the founding of WakeMed and a relentless advocate for women’s health in the region.

Described as “a pioneer who surmounted traditional gender boundaries,” Dr. Wilkerson combined clinical excellence with uncommon grit and grace. Her impact extends far beyond the delivery room—through mentorship, leadership, and a stubborn refusal to accept “no” as the final answer.

She didn’t just shape Raleigh’s health care system—she helped deliver its future.

She later donated her 157 acres of land to the City of Raleigh to create a Nature park that you can go and feel her presence today.

Kay Yow

Kay Yow didn’t just play the game—she rewrote it in a Southern accent and a pink blazer. Born in Gibsonville, North Carolina, and schooled at East Carolina University, Kay was NC through and through. She went from high school gym teacher to Hall of Fame coach, turning NC State Women’s Basketball into a national powerhouse and amassing over 700 career wins.

A master motivator with a clipboard in one hand and kindness in the other, she also coached Team USA to Olympic gold in 1988—no big deal. Off the court, she became a fearless advocate for breast cancer awareness, continuing to coach through her own diagnosis with grit, grace, and a killer game plan.

Her legacy lives on in the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, on the court, and in the hearts of players she called “her girls.” In short: born in NC, built for great

Anna Julia Haywood Cooper

Anna Julia Haywood Cooper was born into slavery in Raleigh in 1858, yet rose to become one of the most influential scholars, educators, and voices for social justice in American history. A lifelong champion of education and equality, she believed deeply that the progress of Black women was essential to the progress of the nation—a vision she powerfully expressed in her landmark book, A Voice from the South.

Cooper’s journey took her far beyond North Carolina, including earning a doctorate from the University of Paris—an extraordinary achievement at the time. Still, her roots remained central to her story. Today, her legacy comes full circle: she is laid to rest back in her home state at City Cemetery, not far from where her remarkable life began.

From enslavement to international acclaim, Anna Julia Haywood Cooper’s life is a testament to resilience, intellect, and unwavering purpose—forever connecting North Carolina to a legacy that helped shape the future of education and civil rights.