Women's History Month
This commemorative holiday honors women and their contributions.
This commemorative holiday honors women and their contributions.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer URLDate: March
This commemorative holiday honors women and their contributions.
Origin
The first week honoring women began in 1978 and was created by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women. The week began on March 8th to coincide with International Women's Day. The week was popular and began to catch on around the country.
Discussions of taking Women's History Week national began in 1981. The first national "Women's History Week" started on March 7, 1982. In 1987, the National Women's History Project successfully lobbied Congress to expand the week. The first Women's History Month occurred in March of that year.
The President has issued an annual proclamation declaring the month of March as Women's History Month since 1995.
Traditions
Women's History Month is a commemorative holiday. It honors women's historical and current contributions to the United States. Schools, government entities and museums hold celebrations while organizations may host educational events that highlight women's history.
What to do
Women’s History Month is a good time to dive into the rich history of American women’s accomplishments.