Über Talk: National Women's Hall of Fame

Earlier this month the 2011 inductees for the National Women's Hall of Fame were announced. Among the eleven inductees was jazz singer Billie Holiday and civil rights activist Coretta Scott King. The inductees will not be formally inducted until September 30th and October 1, 2011 in Seneca Falls, New York. Take a look below for a quick mini bio of the two via the National Women's Hall of Fame website:


Billie Holiday (1915 – 1959)Considered by many to be one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time, Billie Holiday forever changed the genres of jazz and pop with her unique style. Holiday began her career as a singer in Harlem nightclubs in 1931, without formal musical training. She went on to record and tour with a number of famous musicians like Benny Goodman and Lester Young, and officially began recording under her own name in 1936. Holiday, known for her deeply moving and personal vocals, remains a popular musical legend more than fifty years after her death.


Coretta Scott King (1927 – 2006)One of the most celebrated champions of human and civil rights, Coretta Scott King, in partnership with her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ignited democracy movements worldwide. For over forty years, King traveled extensively as a messenger of peace, justice and social action. Notably, in 1974, she formed and co-chaired the National Committee for Full Employment, formed the Coalition of Conscience (1983), and co-convened the Soviet-American Women’s Summit (1990). In 1969, she became the founding president, chair and chief executive officer of The King Center, the first institution built in memory of an African American leader. As a lifelong advocate for non-violence and coalition building, King’s legacy will continue to serve as an example for years to come.