Celebrating Changemakers by Induction into the Hall

About the Induction Ceremony

The biennial Induction Ceremony stands as a national beacon of inspiration, illuminating stories that too often go untold and ensuring they take their rightful place in our shared history. Since 1973, the National Women’s Hall of Fame has honored distinguished American women whose achievements have shaped our world. The inaugural class included Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, and Helen Keller.

Today, the Induction Ceremony continues this powerful tradition – celebrating extraordinary women and inspiring future generations.

2026 Inductees

We are pleased to announce 2026 inductees – eleven women who broke barriers and changed the world. Click here to learn more about their extraordinary stories.

The 2026 class of trailblazing women will be honored at the Hall’s Induction Ceremony in Rochester, New York on September 24th, 2026.

Selection Process

The National Women’s Hall of Fame received over 400 nominations from the public during 2023 and 2024. In addition to these new nominations, the Hall also considered individuals who had previously deferred their induction from the lat cycle.

The Hall extends its gratitude to everyone who dedicated their time to submit nominations. With each induction cycle, the Hall aims to honor a diverse group of remarkable women, both contemporary and historical, representing various categories within its scope.

The selection process is consistently highly competitive due to the large number of deserving women considered for induction. Nominees are evaluated based on several criteria. These include their impact – whether on a global, national, or field-specific scale – the significance of their accomplishments or work, and the duration over which they have achieved success.

The Hall plans to begin accepting nominations for the 2028 induction cycle in early 2027. Sign up for email updates to be notified.