March is Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to honoring the accomplishments of women in the past and present. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” The National Women’s History Alliance encourages everyone to celebrate women who have been sharing stories in many formats: media, literature, storytellers, and more.
Learn the history of Women’s History Month, learn about notable library women, and find resources to learn about and celebrate women’s accomplishments.
What’s the history of Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month began as Women’s History Week in Santa Rosa, California in 1978. According to the National Women’s History Museum, the week was started by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women. The celebrations took place in March to coincide with International Women’s Day.
Then, in 1980, ” a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women’s History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week.”
Women’s History Week was celebrated until 1987, when, according the National Women’s History Museum, Congress passed a law naming March as Women’s History Month.
Notable Female Authors and Writers
Since the beginning of time, women have been telling and passing on stories. Here are some revolutionary female authors, whose works you can check out from YDL. You can also take a look at this list from Stylist, which names 107 brilliant female authors.
Mary Shelley
Amy Tan
Toni Morrison
Angie Thomas
Virginia Woolf
