One of the great ways to get our kids excited to learn about anything at all is through crafts and coloring pages. So for National Women’s History Month this year, we searched the web to find some of the very best printable coloring pages featuring groundbreaking American women.
– This page has been updated for 2021 with working links and some new pages –
We tried to stick with really good renderings of the women; so these are more lifelike than cartoon-y. Also, wow. It was hard to stop at just 16.
A follow-up may be in order!
Some of these famous women coloring pages are free, and a few cost a little bit to support the indie artists who created them, but all of these famous women coloring pages are definitely worth the printer ink. And more importantly, the beginnings of conversations they may inspire your kids.
Like, “Any reason in particular you chose purple glitter pen for Mae Jemison’s space suit?”
-Caroline, with Liz
Related: 6 new biographies of great American women you don’t want to miss this Women’s History Month
Rosa Parks Coloring Page
A roundup of important American women coloring pages would never be complete without the inclusion of Rosa Parks, whose famous act of civil disobedience was a turning point in the civil rights movement. She was not actually smiling in the UPI photo that this illustration is based on, but she definitely was after the Montgomery buses became integrated.
Free download AZ Coloring
Dr. Mae C. Jemison Coloring Page
If you just watched Hidden Figures like I did, you know that becoming the first African-American woman in space was no small feat. As if that weren’t enough, Jemison also practiced as a physician, served in the Peace Corps, started her own tech company, and appeared on Star Trek. (Jelly!)
Free download, Supercoloring.com
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Coloring Pages
It’s been a year since we discovered this collection of 11 free printable coloring pages and I still haven’t gotten over how utterly fantastic they are. The notorious RBG riding a unicorn, sporting a RGB tattoo, or taking a selfie? Perfection. We miss her. A lot.
Free download from Karen Kox for She Knows
Related: Even more Ruth Bader Ginsburg coloring pages. Free, printable, and making history.
Sandra Day O’Connor Coloring Page
We love that Dover Publishing, to promote coloring books of theirs like Famous American Women, offers a large sample of famous women coloring pages from the book, all free for download. That includes this portrait of America’s first female Supreme Court Justice, who served for more 25 years before retiring in 2006. Thanks, Justice O’Connor, for paving the way for Justices Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan. And hopefully, many more to follow.
Free printable, Dover Publications
Florence Nightingale Coloring Page
I like the simplicity of this coloring page of Florence Nightingale, one of the great reformers of health care. (Where is she when we need her now!) This is an update from an older page that’s no longer available.
Free download, CMP
Related: Check out these 7 sets of cool, modern, free printable paper dolls, from Wonder Woman to Hamilton
Angela Davis Coloring Page
I’m obsessed with this funky, beautifully rendered design of activist and acclaimed author Angela Davis. Such a bold, powerful statement piece for a bold, powerful woman who’s been such an important figure in the civil rights movement, and still is today.
Free, Coloring Pages
NOTE: This image was previously connected with an Etsy shop no longer in existence. Please contact us if you know of any issue with copyright/artist permissions. The only other sites where it currently exists are a little spammy.
Related: 10 outstanding children’s books about activism in honor of MLK Day
Susan B. Anthony Coloring Page
We all recognize the woman on this coin, but it will be nice to see how she looks in color, instead of all silver, when the kids get their hand on this coloring page.
Free download, Kids Activities Whoo!
Harriet Tubman Coloring Page
This illustrated tribute to nerves-of-steel abolitionist and slave-liberator Harriet Tubman is so powerful, rendered as a Wanted poster. As far as famous women coloring pages go, this could be a great place for kids to start because her journey inspired that of so many thousands more.
Free download, Amazing Women of History
Related: Empowering gift ideas for girls who will run the world one day.
Eleanor Roosevelt Coloring Page
This is a fantastic famous women’s coloring page featuring one important American First Lady our kids should definitely know more about. I’m crazy about the quote featured, and the flower wreath she’s totally rocking. Beautifully done.
Free download, CMP
NOTE: This image was previously connected with an Etsy shop no longer in existence. Please contact us if you know of any issue with copyright/artist permissions.
Michelle Obama Coloring Page
As long as we’re talking First Ladies, Michelle Obama was such an inspiration to so many girls for the past 8 years, we bet they’d love this coloring page to hang on their walls. Fierce grace: Yes!
Free download, CMP
NOTE: This image was previously connected with an Etsy shop no longer in existence. Please contact us if you know of any issue with copyright/artist permissions.
Helen Keller Coin Coloring Page
I’m still anxiously awaiting the first woman on an American dollar bill so we can catch up with pretty much every other country in the world. For now, I’m stoked that Alabama chose to honor Helen Keller on their state quarter — which also happens to be the first American coin to include braille. So cool.
PS TikTok-ers…yes. She’s real.
Free download, A Z Coloring
Ellen Ochoa Coloring Page
The first Latina woman in history to travel in space is a perfect female pioneer to get to know better during Women’s History Month. As the current director of the Johnson Space center — and only the second woman to ever hold that position — she’s still going strong as someone our kids can look up to.
Free download with registration, education.com
Maya Angelou Coloring Page
I’ve been a fan of phenomenal woman Maya Angelou and her poetry since I was a preteen, and I love how this coloring page captures her some of her creative spirit. Plus, so many fun details to color in.
Free, SuperColoring.com
Clara Hale Coloring Page
All those cute children may inspire kids to choose to color this coloring page — and hopefully get to know Mother Hale’s humanitarian work with foster children better. She’s a wonderful example of a woman who translated her own childhood hardships into a commitment to invaluable public service.
Free download, Dover Publications
Hillary Rodham Clinton Coloring Pages
This Rosie the Riveter-inspired coloring page is such a good look on former Senator, Secretary of State, and the first female presidential candidate from a major US party. If you’re a fan, download the whole amazing coloring book to see 11 images including Hillary riding a dragon — and even breaking up the testosterone party on Mount Rushmore. Ha.
Free download from Karen Kox for She Knows
Wompanoag Woman Coloring Page and Paper Doll
Not all important women through history have names we know. And while our kids may be most familiar with Disney’s interpretation of Pochahontas, I like this image from a collection of historically accurate Thanksgiving coloring pages. If you’re going to honor American women, you have to include indigenous women who were here long before they were known as “American.”
Free download, Many Hoops
Bonus: Don’t miss this new Women’s History Month Coloring Page
From Here Wee Read, it’s a history lesson and art activity all in one!
Are there supposed to be links to the pages themselves so we can download them from the correct site?
These are all fabulous finds, and really great as references, but direct links would be very helpful . . .
The names (subheads) of all the page names are links. Just click on them!
seriously?? Breaking up the testosterone on Mt Rushmore? What’s the problem with honoring the men that are carved there?
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Maybe read the line again? It’s an allusion to the fact that all 45 presidents so far have been men; not a literal call to “break up” the monument. – Eds