For Women's History Month, the New York Times examined hundreds of historical obituaries, revealing significant underrecognition of women's contributions. The project, published this weekend, highlights figures like Hedy Lamarr, whose obituary minimized her groundbreaking work in wireless communication, GPS, and Bluetooth development. While her name was famous, the scientific details were relegated to just two sentences.

This pattern of minimizing women's achievements—framing talents as curiosities and memorializing them first for appearance or marriage—permeated the archives. The vibrant lives of these women, however, consistently shine through. Martha Gellhorn's defiance of her husband Ernest Hemingway's influence and Oriana Fallaci's bold journalism are stark examples.

The project underscores a persistent gap in historical recognition, showing how women often expanded possibilities themselves rather than waiting for them to be offered. This revelation carries weight beyond history, challenging how contemporary media and society acknowledge women's roles.