Women’s History Month: 5 notable female missionaries

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Tuesday, March 12, 2024

An exhibit featuring Christian missionary Elisabeth Elliot at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. | Museum of the Bible

March is celebrated in the United States and elsewhere as Women’s History Month, a time to honor women across the ages who made valuable contributions to history.

The celebration traces its origins to an event in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978 known as “Women’s History Week,” which was meant to overlap with International Women’s Day, observed annually on March 8.

Throughout Christian history, women have played important roles in advancing the Gospel, even if they lacked official institutional authority.

In honor of Women’s History Month, here are five notable female missionaries. They include a former Caribbean slave, a famed Southern Baptist, and a Roman Catholic saint.