Women's History Month is celebrated every March in the United States and other countries around the world. Now is the time to pay tribute to the pioneers of the past-including feminists, politicians, inventors and artists-and discuss the urgent problems facing women today. To learn more about why we devote ourselves to women's history every March, please check the following facts.
1. National Women's Day begins in new york.
On February 28th, 199, Theresa Malkiel, an activist who worked in the Women's Committee of the American Socialist Party, established the first National Women's Day. She gave a speech in a theater in Manhattan with more than 2 people, with equal rights and some high-spirited singing. The performance in 191 was held in the famous Carnegie Hall.
2. Soon after, the first International Women's Day made its debut in Europe.
The need to celebrate women soon spread to Europe. Once again, the socialists took the lead. At the Second International Socialist Women's Congress held in Copenhagen in 191, a German activist named Clara Zetkin proposed to set up a day to commemorate European professional women. She thinks that the current celebrations pay too much attention to the bourgeoisie. ) The following year, on March 19th, the first International Women's Day was celebrated. In the end, March 8 was chosen as the permanent date of the celebration. The choice of dates is by no means random: in addition to celebrating women, March 8 also commemorates the anniversary of 1917, which helped trigger the Russian revolution.
3. Women's History Month originated from a celebration in California.
In 1978, the Sonoma School District of California organized a "Women's History Week" to correct the lack of women-centered materials in the existing K-12 curriculum. The week held in March, corresponding to International Women's Day, featured speeches and essay contests, which reached * * * in the * * in downtown santa rosa. The idea became popular, and the following year similar celebrations were held all over the country.
Encouraged by their success, two years later, a group of women in santa rosa set up the National Women's History Project (NWHP) to further expand their work. One of their goals is to raise the celebration of Women's History Week to the national level. In addition to lobbying federal politicians, activists also encourage other communities to organize local celebrations and educational activities. Their work has developed rapidly.
4. Jimmy Carter was the first president to recognize Women's History Week.
In 198, President Jimmy Carter announced that he would recognize the Women's History Week in the week of March 8, and made a statement, part of which read as follows:
"From the first settlers who came to our coast, and from the first American Indian families who became friends with them, men and women worked together to build this country. Women are often unknown, and sometimes their contributions are ignored. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of women who build America are as important as the men we know well. "
5. Women's History Month became a permanent activity at the national level in 1987.
Although the celebration at the federal level lasts only one week (and must be requested by Congress every year), nearly one third of the states in the United States decided to extend the recognition time to a full month by 1986. As more and more states move to create their own women's history month, the Federation follows suit. In 1987, six years after the first Women's History Week, Congress passed PL 1-9 [PDF], officially designating Women's History Month as a permanent activity in March every year.
6. Because of the weather, it is celebrated in March.
It is no accident that women's history month is celebrated in March. Although the time is partly consistent with International Women's Day, the choice is also based on more practical considerations.
According to Susan Scanlan, a former legislative assistant, Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski originally proposed recognition in August to celebrate the anniversary of American women's suffrage. "I looked at her," Scanlan recalled. "I said,' Barbara, do you want to be outside when it is hotter than the hinge of hell on August 26th?'
instead of baking in the heat of late summer, Scanlan promoted March, which means that the celebration will take place in the season that Scanlan appropriately calls "marching weather".
7. This month is the time to reflect on the neglected contribution of women.
what exactly is women's history month? First of all, the goal of this month is to commemorate and encourage "studying, commemorating and celebrating the important role of women in American history". Although the plans and celebrations are organized nationwide, they are led by the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the National Humanities Foundation, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution and the American Holocaust Memorial Museum at the federal level.
8. There are various live and virtual activities to participate in.
if you are looking for ways to celebrate women's history month, you will have many choices. In 221, the activities ranged from the Women Filmmakers' Festival organized by the Smithsonian Institution to the book lecture on Eleanor Roosevelt led by the author, and then to the historical reenactment organized by the National Archives. Go to the website of Women's History Month in * * * to see the list of activities and exhibitions in 222.
9. Since 1995, every incumbent president has issued a declaration of Women's History Month.
according to the tradition of announcement of President Carter's inaugural women's history week, presidents have issued announcements every year for more than 25 years to recognize the role of women in American history. In 221, President Joe Biden's announcement paid special attention to the historic elections of COVID and Vice President Kamara Harris.
"In our current crisis, women continue to play a leading role. From vaccine researchers to public health officials to countless heroines on the front line, women are working around the clock to defeat COVID-19, "he said. "This year also marks a historic milestone in women's leadership in 232 years, and the first female vice president of the United States took office."
1. Every women's history month has a theme.
Every year, the National Women's History Project (whose positive actions in the 197s and 198s helped bring women's history month to life) announces the theme of this year's Women's History Month. In 221, with the theme of "Brave Women Voting: Refusing Silence", the centennial commemoration of women's participation in politics in 22 was continued. The theme of 222 is "providing treatment and promoting hope", paying tribute to the women who fought in the front line against COVID-19, and reflecting on the long-term role of women as therapists in society.
11. Canada celebrates Women's History Month in October.
Although it was mainly invented in the United States, the version of Women's History Month has also been recognized nationwide in several other countries. Canada, which has been celebrating since 1992, designated October as a historic "person" court case, which overturned the definition of "person" accepted at that time in Canadian law on October 18, 1929, that is, only for men. The ruling opened up a lot of new opportunities for Canadian women, including the right to serve in the Senate.
12. International Women's Day is celebrated all over the world.
Although Britain and Australia celebrate Women's History Month with the United States every March, International Women's Day has gained wider recognition around the world, including Cuba, Georgia and Armenia. Since 1975, the United Nations has officially sponsored the event and described it as "recognizing the fact that ensuring peace and social progress and fully enjoying human rights and fundamental freedoms require women's active participation, equality and development; And recognize women's contribution to strengthening international peace and security. "
13. Women's History Month is an opportunity to draw attention to inequality.
Women's History Month, despite its name, concerns both the past and the future. Throughout the month, especially on International Women's Day, activists took this opportunity to clarify many injustices that women still face and raise people's awareness of gender inequality. People gathered in * * * and * * to remind the public that we still have a long way to go to achieve equality.