JANUARY 20: TODAY'S INSPIRING WOMEN

PATRICIA ROBERTS HARRIS

In 1977, Patricia Roberts Harris became U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the first black woman to hold a Cabinet position.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

In 2001, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the first elected female Vice-President of the Philippines, became its second woman President. Arroyo is also the first duly elected female Vice President of the Philippines.

JOy adamson

Friederike Victoria "Joy" Adamson was a naturalist, artist and author born today in 1910. Her book, Born Free, describes her experiences raising a lion cub named Elsa.

Julia Morgan was the first woman architect licensed in California. She designed more than 700 buildings in California during a long career. She was born today in 1872.

Deeper Dive

View some of Julia Morgan's designs that earned her the Gold Metal in the 2014 AIA Honors Awards.