On March 12, 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as National Women’s History Month. Each year, the President issues a special proclamation to acknowledge the enormous contributions of women to American life, history and culture. March was chosen for the celebration because a number of pivotal historical events pertaining to women occurred in this first month of Spring: International Women's Day, a global holiday since 1911, is celebrated on March 8; the first major Suffragist march on Washington occurred on March 3, 1913; The National Woman's Party, dedicated to obtaining the right to vote for women, was founded in March 1917; Title IX, which prohibited discrimination due to sex in federally funded education programs, was passed on March 1, 1972; and the Senate passed The Equal Rights Amendment on March 22, 1972. The celebration has a theme every year, chosen by The National Women’s History Alliance. The 2024 theme honors “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The Alliance calls attention to “women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.” Read more, learn more, achieve more. Check out the books below; click on the book jacket to be taken to the catalog link.
“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” Malala Yousafzai
“Our collective experience has shown that when women have the power to make their own choices, good things happen.” Madeleine Albright
“We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes that we hold of ourselves.” Shirley Chisholm
“Until we get equality in education, we won't have an equal society.” Sonia Sotomayor
“I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved, and nurtured by people around them.” Michelle Obama
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” Nora Ephron