During Women’s History Month, DiversityInc is honoring a series of woman innovators and history makers like Sybil Ludington, who are often overlooked in mainstream media coverage and history books. Check back throughout March to learn about more important figures.
Born: April 5, 1761, Fredericksburg, New York
Died: Feb. 26, 1839, Unadilla, New York
Best known for: Riding on horseback through the night to alert troops of an impending British attack during the Revolutionary War.
Most Americans are familiar with the story of Paul Revere, whose heroic 1775 “Midnight Ride” from Boston to Lexington, Massachusetts, warned residents that the British were approaching. But two years later, another patriot did the same — and unlike Revere, she avoided capture. Her name was Sybil Ludington and she was remarkably just 16 years old at the time when she made the ride.