Final answer:
Lina Wertmüller was the first American female director nominated for an Oscar in 1977, for the film 'Seven Beauties'. Other notable firsts for American women in various fields have been Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female Supreme Court justice and Geraldine Ferraro as the first female vice presidential candidate from a major party.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first American female director nominated for an Oscar is Lina Wertmüller for the film ‘Seven Beauties’ in 1977. Wertmüller was nominated for Best Director, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Academy Awards and breaking ground for women in the film industry. However, other milestones by women in different areas include Sandra Day O'Connor becoming the first female Supreme Court justice in 1981 and Geraldine Ferraro being chosen as the first female vice presidential candidate from a major party in 1984. Furthermore, Guerrilla Girls, Inc. has highlighted the issues of gender inequality in Hollywood through their protests and publications since the early 2000s.