Can you name these notable American women? See below!
Women’s History Month
In 1911, Sonoma County, Caliornia decided to establish a Women’s History Week. This local celebration took place in the week surrounding International Women’s Day (March 8). By the early 1980s, it expanded to weeks-long conferences and discussions of women’s contributions.
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter established a National Women’s History Week for the US, writing,
“…men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”
Congress declared March of 1987 to be the first National Women’s History Month. Since then, it has been annually proclaimed by Presidents, state governors, and local municipalities. Interest in celebrating women’s history and women’s achievements during March has also gone international. Locations that participate include Canada, Russia, Australia, and Ukraine, among others.
Explore!
Below, our experts have come up with great books, activities, and interactives to help you start to explore women’s history. As always, there’s much, much more in our catalog, and this might be a great month to explore the Gender Studies Database if you haven’t yet. It’s FREE with your YCL card!
Famous Faces
Did you know the faces in our header image? The women are, from left to right, Phyllis Wheatley, Molly Pitcher, Maria Tallchief, Annie Oakley, Marian Anderson, Grace Hopper, Daisy Gatson Bates, Wilma Rudolph, Shirley Temple Black, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. You can explore their histories through books in our catalog or by browsing the National Women’s History Museum (womenshistory.org) website.