the 5 Unstoppable Women of Wall Street You Should Know About This Women’s History Month
When you think of Wall Street, you probably envision men like JP Morgan in power suits. Or, the Gordon Gekko type wolf-like traders making cutthroat deals, because after all “greed is good” is it not? Or perhaps you envision a certain bronze bull statue?
Well, what if I told you women have been shaping the Financial District for centuries, and they were doing it long before they were even allowed to have their own bank accounts. Talk about audacious. Talk about bad ass.
This Women’s History Month, it’s time to talk about the bold, brilliant, and sometimes scandalous women who took on the financial world.
So, here are 5 of the unstoppable and inspiring women of Wall Street you should know about (and lots of other little fact bombs about Wall Street’s female history).
Wall Street’s Hidden History: The Women Who Changed Finance Forever
For centuries, women were told they didn’t belong in finance, and what greater motivation is there in American life than being told you can’t? Our great nation was born from oppression, it’s only fitting that our ladies kicked down some doors in order to be seen and heard.
Let’s consider some facts you might not find in your average history book:
The first female stockbrokers weren’t allowed inside the New York Stock Exchange, so they set up shop outside instead, alongside the reviled “curbers” who eventually started the American Stock Exchange.
Some women made fortunes on bold, high-risk investments, even when society told them they “weren’t good with money.”
The richest woman in America at one point was so good at investing that men started rumors about her being a witch. Jealous much?
The first women had to disguise themselves as men just to get a foot in the door. Some even sent their brothers or husbands to act as their representatives in business deals.
Today, their names might not be as famous as Rockefeller or Vanderbilt, but their stories are just as wild, and way overdue for some recognition.
5 Women Who Took Over Wall Street
1. Hetty Green: The “Witch of Wall Street” Who Played Smarter Than Everyone Else
Let’s start with the most feared woman in finance. Hetty Green wasn’t actually a witch, but she was ridiculously good with money.
She built a fortune worth billions in today’s dollars by out-investing all the men around her and was basically the Mother of Value Investing - Warren Buffet eat your heart out. She also never wasted a cent. Legend has it that she once refused to pay for hot water and wore the same dress for decades.
Because she was so good at investing and had so much ambition, many men saw her as a threat and that’s how she got her nickname, “Witch of Wall Street”. As if a woman being smart with money wasn’t possible without some kind of magic being involved.
While much of Wall Street may not have liked her, they had no problem asking her to bail them out of a financial crisis caused by the revered JP Morgan himself. Women, always cleaning up after the guys, am I right?
2. Victoria Woodhull: The Boldest Woman You’ve Never Heard Of.
In 1870, Victoria Woodhull became the first woman to open a brokerage on Wall Street, to launch and run a financial publication and she also advised some of the wealthiest men in America, including Cornelius Vanderbilt, and making herself and them fortunes on the market.
But she didn’t stop there, she even ran for U.S. president in 1872 - before women were even allowed to vote - talk about bold.
3. Muriel Siebert: The First Woman to Buy a Seat on the NYSE
For nearly 200 years, the New York Stock Exchange had a strict “no women allowed” rule. In 1967, Muriel Siebert became the first woman to buy a seat on the NYSE and she had to fight tooth and nail for it.
Nine banks refused to lend her the money for the seat, but she didn’t give up. Once she got in, she spent the rest of her career paving the way for women in finance.
4. The Free-Lovin’ Gilded Lasses of Wall Street
Not every financial queen was about stocks and investments. Some women in the Gilded Age found success in less conventional ways. Let’s just say they knew how to make their own rules in a world that refused to play fair.
Their stories are a mix of scandal, success, and rebellion. And if you’re interested, you can hear more about them on our “Nasty Women of FiDi” Financial District walking tour.
5. Suze Orman & The Women of Finance Today
Fast forward to modern times, and women are still shaking up finance. Suze Orman, Sallie Krawcheck, Abigail Johnson. These are just a few names that prove that financial power isn’t just for Wall Street’s old boys’ club.
4 More Scandals, Secrets, and Financial Power Moves
Can’t get enough of Wall Street’s famous women’s stories? We get it. Here are some more facts that might surprise you:
Victoria Woodhull and her sister Tennessee Claflin were Wall Street’s first female stockbrokers. They ran their brokerage while also publishing a controversial newspaper that openly supported women’s rights, free love, and exposing financial corruption. Naturally, the mainstream press had a meltdown.
Muriel Siebert’s NYSE membership came with a side of sexism. When she applied, she was told she needed a sponsor (something no man had ever been required to do). After finally securing her seat, some of her male colleagues installed a separate bathroom so they wouldn’t have to share with her.
Hetty Green (aka “The Witch of Wall Street”) once made an entire bank panic. She was so wealthy and powerful that when she withdrew millions in cash from a bank, rumors spread that the bank was collapsing. This triggered a whole financial crisis.
A woman exposed one of Wall Street’s biggest corporate strangleholds. Financial journalist Ida Tarbell was one of the first people to sound the alarm on the impact of US Standard Oil’s monopoly on American Life.
Our “Nasty Women of FiDi” Financial District walking tour brings these wild stories to life and proves that Wall Street’s history is way more dramatic than any finance textbook would admit.
Why This History Matters (And Why Students Should Learn About It!)
Finance is all about power, ambition, and real people making history.
But let’s be honest: most history books barely mention the women who shaped Wall Street. That’s why a Financial District walking tour can be an amazing educational tool:
For high school students, this tour is an unforgettable real-world lesson in finance, history, and gender equality.
Teachers can book private NYC tours to give students a firsthand look at the financial world (way more exciting than just reading about it).
Women’s contributions to finance are still overlooked today, but this Financial District walking tour helps bring their stories to life.
If You Love History, These Are the NYC Walking Tours You Need to Try
Nasty Women of FiDi: If you take this Financial District walking tour, you might just meet some of the legendary women we talked about along the way.
Heroes & Villains: NYC wasn’t built by the nice guys. Explore Lower Manhattan’s past through the rebels, rule-breakers, and visionaries who made history on this NYC cultural walking tour.
The “Walls Out” Wall St Tour: Money, greed, and high-stakes deals…get the inside scoop on the Financial District straight from a former trader. If you love historic New York tours, this one’s for you.
Ground Zero: Always Remember: A deeply moving look at 9/11 history, led by our founder Dana, who has a personal connection to the tragedy. One of the most powerful Ground Zero walking tours and NYC cultural walking tours available.
Private Tours: Want something customized? Our private NYC tours can be tailored to your interests.
Haunted Brooklyn Bridge: History meets the supernatural in this eerie Brooklyn Bridge walking tour. Keep an eye out for ghostly visitors as you take in the city skyline.
Look Up Series (Coming Soon!): Ever wonder who built NYC’s iconic skyline? This upcoming tour will introduce you to the badass visionaries who turned steel and glass into a city like no other.
Walk in the Footsteps of NYC’s Fiercest Women
Learning about women’s history doesn’t have to be boring. There’s more to learning the facts than staring at old statues and textbook dates.
A Financial District walking tour is one of the best ways to celebrate Women’s History Month and see Wall Street in a whole new way.
If you’re a finance nerd, a history fan, a teacher trying to give their students some real-life education, or just someone who loves a great story, this tour is something you shouldn’t miss out on. It will change the way you see NYC forever.
Book your tour today and walk through history!
