Honoring Women: Women’s History Month

Dramesia Colbert

The month of March is Women’s History Month. After 1987, Congress and U.S. President have designated the month of March Women’s History Month. Women’s History month use to be a week, before it officially became a month. In 1980, a group of women and historians successfully lobbied for national recognition. President Jimmy Carter, then, issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Month. Seven years later, Congress designated the month of March “Women’s History Month”. Courageous women have marched and won for the right to vote, campaigned against injustice, and have given women so many opportunities that we have today. During this month, we are to celebrate the accomplishments and vital contributions of women in history.

The National Women’s History Alliance selects themes each year to go with the month of march. This year’s theme is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced. The Alliance chose this theme because of COVID-19. Because of COVID-19, many of the women suffrage celebration planned for 2020 were restricted, so the National Women’s Alliance extended the annual theme.

Over the years, Women have done a lot of history making and have made a lot of contributions to the world. Here is a list of accomplishments women have done over the years.

 

• Rosa Parks: Rosa Parks helped with the civil rights movement in the United states when she refused to give her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus in 1955.

 

• Kamala Harris: In 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman and first woman of color vice president of the United states.

 

• Michelle Obama: In 2018, Michelle Obama, who was the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, published her memoir called “Becoming”.

 

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG): In 1993, Ruth Ginsburg was the to the U.S. Supreme court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.

 

There are multiple ways you can celebrate Women’s History Month. One way you can celebrate this month is to read book written by women. You can also watch films and documentaries honoring women that have made impact of history. Here is a list of books you can read, and a list of films and documentaries you can watch if these are some of the ways you would like to celebrate.

 

Books:

• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The color purple by Alice Walker
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

 

Movies/Documentaries:

• Hidden Figures (2016)
• The Help (2011)
• Becoming Jane (2007)
• Erin Brockovich (2000)

Another way you can celebrate this month and the women that have made an impact on history is by donating to organizations that support and help women. All of the ways stated are good ways to celebrate this month, but you can celebrate it anyway you feel is best!