We all know Women’s Day (8th March) is just around the corner and would have started making plans to celebrate it. But how many of you know that we are also into Women History Month? Yes, every year, March is celebrated as Women History Month to commemorate the role of women in American history. The day also encourages people to study, observe, and celebrate the contributions of women in history as well as in the present. In this blog, we will dive deeper into all you need to know about Women History Month.
How did it start?
Women History Month traces back to the 1970s when women history was actually a less-discussed and less-celebrated topic, particularly in the educational curriculum. To address the issue and celebrate the accomplishments of women, a task force in California started celebrating Women’s history week in 1978.
Later in 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first proclamation to start Women History Week from March 8th. People started celebrating the week so fondly that eventually, the whole month was declared Women’s History Month in 1980. Since then, people in the United States officially celebrate March as Women’s History Month.
Significance of Women’s History Month
If compared to a few decades ago, women have come so far in terms of education, leadership, as well as contribution to the economy. And the major credit for this progress goes to brave women in history who were rebellious to stand up against the preconceived notions of society and start something out of the ordinary.
Women’s History Month signifies the contribution of these women to the empowerment of today’s generation. Their journeys are recalled and celebrated to inspire the next generation of women to step out of their comfort zone and compete against the odds. Each year, a theme is decided to celebrate the day. This year, the theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories”. The themes in the previous years were,
- 2017: Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business
- 2018: Nevertheless, She Has Persisted: Honoring Women Who Fought All Kinds of Discrimination Against Women
- 2019: Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence
- 2020: Valiant Women of the Vote
- 2021: Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced
- 2022: Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope
Five Ways to celebrate Women’s History Month 2023
This year’s women history month has already started on March 1st. If you haven’t planned how to celebrate it yet, here are some ideas that might help you.
- Plan and celebrate a “Purple Day”
- Organize a Women’s Rights Workshop
- Distribute books on women history and encourage people to read them
- Write thank you notes for important women in your life
- Plan a historic museum visit
