March has been dedicated to women since 1978, but it didn’t become “Women’s History Month” until 1994. Created by the National Women’s History Project, which has been changed to the National Women’s History Alliance(NWHA), originally it was just a week long and took place during the first week of March to correspond with International Women’s Day, which is March 8th.
The process of dedicating March to women was not easy and took many years. International Women’s Day was established in 1911. President Jimmy Carter did not issue National Women’s History Week until 1980, and it was not until 1987 that congress officially issued National Women’s History Month. Lots of Marches and Protests took place in between the years of 1911 and 1987 that got us to where we are now.
Women’s History Month was created to recognize and celebrate women for all of their contributions to society. Honoring women with this month was a huge step in gender equality. Even though we should appreciate the women in our lives everyday, having a month dedicated to just them is important because it raises awareness about their achievements and inspires future generations to keep fighting for a more inclusive future.
What some people might not know is that each year the NWHA chooses a theme for Women’s History Month. The first ever theme was “Generations of Courage, Compassion, and Conviction”. Some past themes include 1988’s “Reclaiming the Past, Rewriting the Future”, 2010’s “Writing Women Back into History”, and 2023’s “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”. This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion”.
Having a specific theme for each year gives people a chance to focus on a specific aspect of women’s experiences and contributions. Events and activities are organized based on the theme so every year is different and new. The NWHA focuses on spreading information about the spotlighted theme which gives people a better understanding of their specific goals and women’s history as a whole.
This month make sure to support the women in your life. You can do this by showing up and being there for them, complimenting them, celebrating their accomplishments, expressing your gratitude, and sticking up for them. Everyone has a woman in their life that deserves awareness this month… and every month.
