Kidnapped as a young girl and sold into slavery in a foreign land, Hurrem Sultan captured the heart of a king... and transformed the course of an empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In addition to National Women's History Month and International Women's Day in March, we also celebrate National Social Work Month. With all that in mind, we've re-mastered and edited our coverage of Jane Addams, the Mother of Social work into one episode...an LP if you will. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edmonia Lewis broke barriers as the first African-American and Native American sculptor to achieve worldwide renown for her neoclassical works in marble and bronze. After her death, her most famous masterpiece lived on, incognito until its relatively recent rediscovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Keckley was born into slavery and turned a talent for design into her pathway to freedom. She bore witness to the American Civil War from a unique perspective within the White House as the confidante to her friend (and client) Mary Todd Lincoln. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Dickinson retreated from society as she got older, concentrating her passion and power into her work, though she did find love - and enjoy publication - at last! After her early death, her poetry took a convoluted route into the pantheon of beloved American literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poet Emily Dickinson has often been painted as a recluse and an oddball by history, though she had a passionate nature and a rich inner life. She wrote some of the most beloved and enduring poetry in the world during her introspective lifetime, but her audience didn't find her until after her death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just like her husband, Mrs. Claus makes an appearance every December at the top of your podcast queue when we shine the spotlight on this resilient, hard-working woman who wore many hats throughout history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During an era in which a woman showing her ankle was seen as transgressive, a group of radical women broke societal norms by using their bodies as canvases for their art, re-popularizing the ancient tradition of tattoo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We put themed music at the end of each episode - "dessert," if you will. In the spirit of this holiday season, where we give ourselves the joy of eating dessert first, we'd like to highlight the artists whose work has enhanced ours over the past few years . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fannie Farmer was written off by society at an early age due to her disability. She rallied as an adult and parlayed her talent in the kitchen into a spectacular culinary career, becoming a beloved household name in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices