Did you know that every year in March we celebrate Women’s History Month in the United
States? The purpose of this important month-long celebration of women is to reflect on the
efforts, contributions, and accomplishments of women in history but to also ensure we continue
to create an equitable and inclusive world for all people.
To better understand and appreciate all this month stands for, as is typically the case, we have to
take a look backwards at our history. Women’s History Month actually started off as Women’s
History Week. In 1978, a forward-thinking school in the district of Sonoma, California designed
and implemented a weeklong celebration acknowledging major contributions of women to
society, culture, and history. These original Women’s History Weeks included essay contests,
student presentations, and a festive parade in downtown Santa Rosa. Important contributions by
women in history including Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Amelia Earhart, and Sandra Day O’Connor were revisited and reflected upon during
these community-sponsored events. The concept of this important celebration began to quickly
catch on and spread through communities across the United States. In 1980, the National
Women’s History Project (now called the National Women’s History Alliance) lobbied Congress
for national recognition and by February of that year, President Carter officially declared the
week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week. Seven years later, in 1987, this same
group of crusaders successfully campaigned to get the entire month of March to be officially
declared as National Women’s History Month.
If you think this story only goes back about 40 years, then you’re missing over half the history.
The month of March wasn’t selected at random for celebrating women’s achievements and
contributions, but instead, coincides with International Women’s Day celebrated around the
world on March 8th. The timeline of this globally celebrated day to honor women dates all the
way back to 1911 in Denmark. A few years later just before the start of World War I, March 8th
was officially and globally named International Women’s Day. Over the next few decades, this
important day continued to evolve as more countries began to take-part and in 1975, the United
Nations celebrated this event for the first time. According to International-Women’s-Day.com, by
2000 the movement had grown quiet, despite there being a long way to go towards gender parity
and so in 2001, a platform was launched to re-energize the campaign. Every year, a new
campaign theme is launched based on global topics which have included Pledge for Parity, Press
for Progress, Be Bold for Change, The Gender Agenda, and this year’s theme Choose to
Challenge.
The theme this year encourages everybody, women and men, to challenge gender bias and
inequities, to celebrate achievements of women, question stereotypes, and to create an inclusive
world. According to the National Women’s History Alliance, celebrating both International
Women’s Day and Women’s History Month gives us the chance to retell history and positively
change the future by giving all people the power and inspiration to succeed. If this is something
you want to be a part of, I encourage you to visit the International Women’s Day website and #ChoosetoChallenge in 2021.
