Celebrating the Accomplishments of Women in Our Country

March is Women’s History Month, a time that celebrates the achievements and contributions of women throughout American history.

This month started as Women’s History Week. It was a local celebration that began in 1978, when Sonoma County, California, selected the week of March 8 to celebrate, in lieu of International Women’s Day. The celebration spread in the following years as other cities around the country adopted it.

The National Women’s History Project, rebranded the National Women’s History Alliance, led the charge, successfully, for the national recognition of Women’s History Week in 1980. That year, President Carter issued a statement imploring Americans to celebrate and recognize the week from March 2-8.

In 1981, Congress temporarily designated Women’s History Week to begin on March 7, 1982. Throughout the following years, Congress continued to pass new resolutions around March 8, urging Americans to host their own celebrations and to honor women’s history.

In 1987, Congress requested that the President declare March Women’s History Month. Between 1988 and 1994, Congress continued to pass provisional resolutions declaring this month Women’s History Month. Finally, in 1995, Congress made March Women’s History Month. Since then, presidents have continued to issue proclamations imploring Americans to celebrate.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Marie Curie, Suzy B. Anthony, and Harriet Tubman are some of the most illustrious women celebrated during this month. Here are some women who are not as famous but have still made important contributions nonetheless.

Katherine Meyer Graham was one of the first female publishers of an American newspaper. She led the Washington Post from 1963 to 1991. She was in charge during the Watergate scandal, which caused Richard Nixon to resign. She was an excellent journalist and was the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Madam C.J. Walker was a female entrepreneur who created a homemade line of hair care products for Black women. She was a philanthropist who contributed to many organizations, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. She is widely known as the first Black woman millionaire in America.

Jane Addams was a cofounder of Hull House, one of the first settlement houses in the United States. Settlement houses were established in the late 19th century to help poor urban immigrant communities. Addams was a progressive social activist and was the first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

By Michelle Li