All throughout March we celebrate Women’s History, but why?  We all know the answer, to honor women’s contributions to history, but do we really know why we have Women’s History Month? 

We currently don’t learn very much about Women’s History in school or about the history behind Women’s History Month. Let’s remind ourselves of the contributions that women have made to society as we celebrate the 35th year of Women’s History Month.

Women’s History Month is celebrated all throughout March, but it started as National Women’s Day. After a group of suffragists and socialists met in Manhattan in 1909 they declared that Women’s Day would occur annually on February 28. This day was celebrated as the anniversary of the city’s garment industry strike led by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.

In 1911, Clara Zetkin, a German activist, made the suggestion that International Women’s Day should be recognized as an international holiday during the International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. All of the 17 countries who attended the conference agreed. 

It wasn’t until 1975, International Women’s year, when the United Nations General Assembly began celebrating March 8 as International Women’s Day. In 1980, March 8 through March 14 became National Women’s History Week. A few years later in 1987, Congress passed a resolution declaring that March should be Women’s History Month. 

The theme for this year is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” According to the National Women’s History Alliance, this is “both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.”  Check out the National Women’s History Alliance website for videos about 

This begs the question, how can YOU support women this month? Some great ways to support women this month include donating to charities that support women, buying from women-owned businesses, and reading books written by women. 

March is a great time to acknowledge all of the hard work the women in your life and community have done, take some time to thank them this month.