"Women Change America"

2005 Theme for National Women's History Month

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." ...You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
You Learn by Living (1960)

When and how did Women’s History Month begin?

As recently as the 1970's, women's history was virtually an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness.

To address this situation, the Education Task force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" celebration for 1978. March 8th, International Women's Day, was selected as the focal point to ensure that the events and celebration would include a multicultural perspective, recognize the connection between and among all women, and celebrate the important role of women in the labor force.

The activities and events that were held met with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, and within a few years, scores of area schools held programs for Women's History Week. Hundreds of women from the community participated by going into the schools as Community Resource Women, and an annual Real Woman Essay Contest drew hundred of entries, as did an annual women's history parade through the heart of downtown Santa Rosa, California.

The Week Becomes National

In 1979, Molly Murphy Macgregor, Director of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women, was invited to a Women's History Institute at Sarah Lawrence College to discuss the importance of using Women's History Week as a focal celebration to recognize and celebrate women's historic accomplishments.

The conference was for leaders of women's and girl's organizations throughout the country. The participants decided unanimously to promote the idea of a Women's History Week within their own organizations, school districts, and states. They also agreed to work toward securing an official Congressional Resolution that would declare the week of March 8 as "National Women's History Week."

In March of 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Message to the American people, encouraging the recognition and celebration of women's historic accomplishments during the week of March 8, Women's History Week. By the end of 1980, then Representative Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) had co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution that declared the week of March 8 in 1981 as National Women's History Week.

March is National Women's History Month

In 1987, at the request of women's organizations, museums, libraries, youth leaders, and educators throughout the country, the National Women's History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the national celebrations to the entire month of March. A National Women's History Month Resolution was quickly approved with strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Since 1992, a Presidential Proclamation has carried the directive for what is now a major national and international celebration. Alaska Celebrates National Women's History Month Contact your city office to find out what events are scheduled in your area.