On this day in 1939, French physicist Marguerite Perey discovered francium

On this day in 1939, French physicist Marguerite Perey discovered francium (Fr), the last element to be found in nature. Her discovery was announced by physicist Jean Baptiste Perrin, because Perey was only a laboratory assistant with no university degree at the time. In 1962, she was the first woman to be elected to the French Académie des Sciences.

Also on this day 07 January

In 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera. She also worked as a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United States Department of State, giving concerts all over the world. She participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, singing at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

Read more about women’s achievements through history here