The United States observes March as Women’s History Month annually. Statements from presidents and politicians laud various contributions women have made to the country and society over the centuries. Cultural institutions host events highlighting leading historical women figures while companies and organizations hold observances honoring female employees and promoting diversity initiatives.
But what circumstances first spurred commemorating women with a dedicated month each year in America? And what purposes underlie the continued momentum to actively recognize Women’s History Month still today?
Origins of Women’s History Month in America
Setting aside March 8th emerged early on as International Women’s Day by the early 1900s in urban centres globally per socialist organizing around women’s labour rights and suffrage – initially prompting one stand-alone recognized day rather than a full month on the calendar. Transforming that annual nod of women’s acknowledgement into the entire month as we know it today tracing back to a county in California:
Started as a Local School District’s Observance
- 1978: Santa Rosa, CA county schools first formally expanded recognition by declaring March as “Women’s History Month” and requiring integration of female figures into the K-12 curriculum and classes for March specifically.
Spread Statewide, then Nationally
- By 1986, 14 states had followed suit in officially proclaiming March as Women’s History Month statewide to encourage school districts to feature and highlight women’s contributions in lessons.
National Recognition
- 1987 marked the first Women’s History Month declared nationally across all 50 states after Congress passed a resolution sponsored by Representative Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Senator Mikulski and Senator Orin Hatch co-sponsoring the declaration.
Since that national bi-partisan codification 35 years ago, every American president has issued an annual proclamation in March praising socio-economic contributions women have made while calling upon government agencies to celebrate impactful women accordingly and inspire future generations.
Key Figures & Events Advanced Cause
Crucial activists and milestones throughout the women’s liberation movement helped set the stage for conceptualizing something akin to Women’s History Month gathering momentum on local, state and eventually federal levels:
Feminist Scholars Highlighted Exclusionary Biases
- The 1960s/70s Second Wave feminist scholars pointed out the pervasive male gender bias excluding women and their experiences found throughout most historical narratives, school textbooks and sociopolitical discourse
- Argued lack of visibility diminished perceived social value and prestige around women plus reinforced assumptions of male gender centrality
“Women’s Equality Day” Resolution Passed
- 1970: Feminist U.S. Representative Bella Abzug introduced a resolution for August 26th as National Women’s Equality Day when American women won suffrage
- Set the helpful precedent that impactful sociopolitical milestones warranting commemoration can potentially translate to setting aside meaningful commemorative days
National Women’s Conference in 1977
- Historic 1977 National Women’s Conference in Houston approved 35 feminist reform platforms including better recording of women’s history and reviews of educational materials to reduce bias and imbalance in depictions
- Lent momentum around addressing women’s marginalization and invisibility by preserving female narratives as valued knowledge
As these concepts coalesced within the American cultural discourse throughout the 1960s and 70s, the notion took hold more concretely that women’s past achievements require proper attention and recognition one special month annually when spotlights fixate especially on female trailblazers’ impacts around us.
Purposes Served by Women’s History Month
Once March became nationally recognized across states as Women’s History Month in the late 1980s, observing this commemoration spread as an established staple throughout workplaces, schools, governments and public cultural institutions. What functions explain its ongoing high-profile presence decades later?
Promoting Gender Diversity & Inclusion
- Aligns symbolic messaging around gender diversity as a purported organizational priority
- Signals values of inclusion, equal representation and women’s advancement
PR for Institutions
- Earn positive public relations positioning entities as progressive and attuned to sociopolitical issues around gender
Mirrors Black History Month Precedent
- Instituting Women’s History Month follows the pattern of Black History Month set as a successful separate designated time reminding society of overdue recognition for marginalized identities
Improving Institutional Gender Gaps
- Prompts internal analysis around recruiting, hiring, promoting and spotlighting women year-round
- Monthly emphasis spurs self-examination of systemic inequality
Inspiring Younger Generations
- Instills pride by showing younger girls and boys examples of impactful women who created blueprints opening doors
Preserving Women’s Narratives
- Ensures continual unearthing of forgotten stories and undersung impacts of women otherwise erased by history
Women’s History Month observances highlight women’s achievements
| Category | Examples | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Government | Presidential proclamations, congress resolutions | National recognition of societal contributions |
| Education | Curriculum focus on female trailblazers | Instills pride and preserves women’s narratives |
| Business | Company spotlight profiles on high-achieving women execs | Signals priorities around gender inclusion |
| Media | TV segments on influential women pioneers | Mainstreams complex women beyond stereotypes |
| Non-profits | Fundraising events for women’s charities | Brings visibility and funding to topical gender issues |
Criticism Around Women’s History Month
For some feminist thinkers, setting aside March as a period intended to highlight women’s achievements risks backfiring through unintentionally serving as an admission that such acknowledgement remains necessary because female marginalization otherwise persists systemically across the remaining 11 months comprising the majority of each year by default.
Does Symbol Obscure Lack of Actual Structural Progress?
- Cynics argue taglines like “celebrate women’s empowerment” cloak ongoing disparities existing economically, politically and socially
Can Reinforce Implicit Stereotypes
- Sequestering women’s recognition away constrained within 31 days of March risks subtly affirming only men’s dominance warrants regular integration as default
Feel-Good PR for Companies
- Corporations face accusations of deploying diversity tributes cynically as public relations tactics amid unchanged day-to-day realities facing women employees
Superficial Visibility Falling Short
- For sexes to achieve true equality, critics say Women’s History Month would become irrelevant —it prolongs spotlighting difference more than normalizing equitability
Yet as long as clear imbalances around income, leadership representation and standards of beauty continue falling along gender lines societally, dedicating March to ensure proper esteeming of women’s past and present feats counters the ease with which female successes often still quietly get downplayed or dismissed as anomalies when genuinely merit comparable prestige to male counterparts on a level playing field year-round.
Conclusion
Designating March in the United States as Women’s History Month originated relatively recently thanks to dedicated efforts of Second Wave feminist activists since the 1960s spotlighting pervasive exclusionary biases against women embedded culturally. Their advocacy around properly recognizing female narratives ultimately precipitated first local, then state, and finally, federal decrees annually commemorating women’s achievements each March. Although some still critique the designation itself as affirming gender imbalances warranting compartmentalized speciality months of isolation, the overwhelming consensus acknowledges persisting inequities indeed justify purposefully preserving esteemed space for women’s visibility until equality permeates all societal realms year-round undeniably first. For now, annual opportunities concentrated each March meaningfully inspire young minds, promote gender inclusion surrounding women’s status elevation, and prompt society’s continually re-evaluating remaining barriers still inhibiting women’s advancement across widespread fronts.
