In 1978, Sonoma County, California initiated the first-ever Women’s History Week, celebrating women for their significant contributions to American history, much of which had gone unnoticed. Two years later, President Carter issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8th Women’s History Week, which began to catch on for years following. By 1986, 14 states declared March Women’s History Month. Finally, in 1987, Congress decided to follow by officially declaring March as Women’s History Month.
President Biden continued the legacy that Carter started with Women’s History Month on February 28, 2023, sending out another proclamation acknowledging all the hardworking women that make up the United States of America and what this year’s National Women’s History Month represents.
The significance of Women’s History Month is to commemorate and bring attention to all the women that work tirelessly to provide for their families and children, that worked hard to break barriers in their careers, and that continue to open doors for the next generations of young women and girls ready to take on the world. Women’s History Month stands as a time to acknowledge the women around you and the women from the past that have given us the opportunities we have today. The women who were advocates, suffragists, civil rights leaders, supporters, educators, doctors, providers, mothers and so much more — they paved the way, allowing young girls the possibility to dream. Although there is still a long way to go today, women are gaining more power and finally obtaining positions that we used to never think were possible. That is why Women’s History Month stands as a time to emphasize those strong women, as we should be doing every day.
So why do we celebrate it?
With so much discord in America lately, it’s imperative now more than ever that we support and believe in the women in our country.
We celebrate to remind ourselves of the milestones that women have played in important parts of U.S. history. Each and every person comes from a strong woman and every woman has a story. The purpose of Women’s History Month is to tell those stories and raise awareness of the incredible women that make up America, both past and present.
Women’s history is important in education, as well. The month of March allows schools to teach lessons on women in America and how women shape American History.
It’s a month dedicated to appreciating those often overlooked; hearing stories about women that were ahead of their time and pushed for change in a period where it may have seemed impossible. Within Women’s History Month is International Women’s Day, which falls annually on March 8th since 1975. International Women’s Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the “economic, political, and social achievements of women.”
A special part of Women’s History Month is the theme that is chosen for each year to commemorate a more specific aspect of women’s accomplishments. The theme for 2023 is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” The theme aims to recognize women who are active storytellers in all forms of media and storytelling — whether that’s radio, television, writing, books, news, social media, etc. This year’s theme highlights women, past and present, who tell our amazing stories.
In the end, the reasons why we celebrate Women’s History Month are simple: to honor, appreciate, and respect women. Women make up half of this population and are not to be overlooked anymore. Women are demanding change in all aspects are life and finally dare to have those dreams and aspirations that we were never allowed to have even just a little over 100 years ago. Women are diverse, brave, smart, courageous, and beautiful. Women’s History Month is just one way to celebrate all the work that women in America and all over the world do.
