Barriers to women in computing have existed at least since Ada Lovelace programmed Babbage’s analytical engine. This brief historical survey, bolstered by 55 references, traces the evolution of women’s opportunities for education and careers in computer science (CS) from the 1820s to the present, primarily in North America. While Byron’s daughter and Grace Hopper are mentioned, this history focuses on broad social acceptance rather than on individuals.

The milestones in this history mark stages in computing, such as wartime cryptanalysis, the birth of CS departments, the dot-com bubble, and personal computing. Yet the social factors seem very much like those one sees in broader articles about women’s intellectual and career opportunities: “women’s work,” the glass ceiling, and the disproportionate effect of economic swings on women. Some constructive suggestions are given, such as blind reviewing, to help offset gender barriers.

This is an exceptional survey that weaves multiple themes together in a short space. If there is any deficiency, it is perhaps that it is unclear how CS might be different from other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, or the work force generally, in this matter.