Annie Nathan Meyer

Born in New York City in 1867, Annie Nathan Meyer is best remembered as one of the key people behind the creation of Barnard College. In the late 1880s she pressed Columbia's leaders to support a college for women, and she remained closely involved with Barnard for many years as a trustee and advocate.

She was also a prolific author. Alongside her work in education and public life, she wrote fiction, essays, and memoir, building a literary career that reflected her wide interests and strong opinions.

Meyer died in 1951, but her legacy still stands out in American education history. Her life connects the worlds of literature, reform, and women's higher education in a way that still feels remarkably modern.