Last Tuesday, while helping my grandma clear out her basement, I stumbled on a treasure trove—a dusty old box filled with programming manuals from her IBM days in the 60s. I spent the whole weekend geeking out over these forgotten stories of women in tech. These weren’t just artifacts; they were reminders of the hidden heroes who built the digital world we live in today.
Grace Hopper: The Queen of Code
Let me take you to a tech conference a few years back. I mentioned Grace Hopper, and a guy in the front row goes, “Who?” I nearly fell off the stage. Seriously? The woman who made it possible for us to write code without losing our minds? The same Grace Hopper who discovered the first computer bug—a literal moth, squished in the machine?
My favorite story about her? She kept a clock running backward in her office because people said it couldn’t be done. That was her whole vibe—tell her something’s impossible, and she’d prove you wrong. If you want to see how modern IT professionals still embody her spirit of innovation, check out how eMazzanti drives innovation for businesses today.
Ada Lovelace: The First Programmer
And then there’s Ada Lovelace. Born in the 1840s, she could have spent her days at fancy parties, but instead she wrote programs for a computer that didn’t even exist yet. When I tell my coding students about her, they think I’m making it up. But it’s true—she saw the future before anyone else did.
These stories aren’t just about celebrating the past. They’re about recognizing the foundation women built for everything we do in tech today. If you’re curious how modern cloud services build on these legacies, check out our cloud solutions and see how far we’ve come.
Hedy Lamarr: From Hollywood to WiFi
Here’s something wild. Hedy Lamarr, a Hollywood actress and total bombshell, spent her nights inventing the technology that would become WiFi. Next time your phone connects to Bluetooth, thank a movie star. It’s a testament to how innovation can come from the most unexpected places.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Sister Mary Kenneth Keller, the first woman in America to earn a Computer Science Ph.D., did it in full nun’s habit. My students always think her photos are photoshopped. Nope—she was debugging code between prayer sessions.
Katherine Johnson, Annie Easley, and Radia Perlman: Space, Code, and the Internet
Last month, I tried explaining punch cards to my intern—the same punch cards Katherine Johnson used to help get us to space. The poor kid asked, “But how did they Google the answers?” I laughed and said, “Honey, these women were Google.”
Annie Easley’s story always inspires me. She started out doing rocket science math by hand. When computers arrived, instead of panicking about automation, she learned to code and helped launch spacecraft. Meanwhile, I still struggle to update my phone.
And don’t get me started on Radia Perlman. Got into a heated debate at a bar with a guy convinced the internet was invented by “some guys in a lab.” I had to school him about the networking innovations Radia created—like the Spanning Tree Protocol, which keeps the internet running smoothly.
Why These Stories Matter—And Why We Need More
What drives me nuts is that we’re still uncovering these stories. How many women got written out of history? How many inventions were credited to their male bosses? It’s infuriating, but it’s also motivating. These weren’t just computer geeks—they were rebels. Every time someone said, “girls can’t code,” they coded harder. Every time a door closed, they built a window—usually with better algorithms.
My niece recently asked if it’s hard being a woman in tech. I showed her these stories and said, “Yeah, sometimes it is. But look what these legends did with punch cards and vacuum tubes. Imagine what you can do with a MacBook!” If you’re looking for ways to empower your own team, see how eMazzanti’s IT strategies can help your business thrive.
Carrying the Torch: Writing the Next Chapter
Sometimes, when I’m stuck debugging, I think about these women. Hedy Lamarr inventing frequency hopping between takes on set. Grace Hopper explaining nanoseconds with a piece of wire. Sister Mary coding in her habit. If they could do that then, I can fix this bug now.
Honestly, we’ve still got work to do. But every time someone tries to tell me women don’t belong in tech, I just smile and think about Ada Lovelace writing loops before loops existed. We’ve been here since day one, and we’re not going anywhere.
Know what’s really cool? My grandma’s old IBM manuals are now on display at our local tech museum. Next to them? My first laptop. History is still being written, and this time, we’re making sure everyone’s story gets told.
Want to be part of the next chapter? Contact eMazzanti today to see how we can help your business—and your team—make history, too.
