The untold stories of the women who were first.

First of ManyWhat if history didn’t forget… but simply chose not to remember?In this first episode of First of Many, hosts Susan Osman and Rachel Branson step into a new chapter — exploring the hidden stories of women whose work shaped the world, but whose names were left behind.We begin with the Matilda Effect — the systematic under-recognition of women in science and discovery, where groundbreaking ideas were often credited to male colleagues instead.As we launch this podcast exactly 100 years after the birth of Matilda Joslyn Gage (24 March 1926), we reflect on the research, revelations, and recurring patterns we uncovered while developing this series — and why these stories still matter today.This episode is both a starting point and a lens: a way of seeing history differently.Because once you notice the pattern… you begin to see it everywhere.

The Matilda Effect

The untold stories of the women who were first.History remembers the breakthroughs. But not always the women behind them.First of Many is a podcast uncovering the untold stories of women who were the first — to discover, to create, to lead — across science, medicine, education, architecture, fashion, and the creative industries.These are the pioneers whose ideas shaped the world… but whose names were overlooked, forgotten, or credited to others.Each episode, we research and re-tell the lives, work, and legacy of extraordinary women who changed the course of history — often without recognition. From groundbreaking inventions to cultural movements, we explore what they did, why it mattered, and how their stories still resonate today.This is more than a history podcast. It’s a reclamation.Because behind every “first” we celebrate… there are many more we’ve yet to hear.

Share

First Of Many

The Matilda Effect