Women's History Month

International Women’s Day (1911 - Ongoing)

Women’s History Month has its roots in International Women’s Day which occurs on March 8th of
every year. Beginning in 1911 with over 300 global demonstrations, it was a day dedicated to
acknowledging the social, policial, and economic achievements of women. The holiday was initially
observed by mainly socialist and communist circles but in the mid 1960’s feminist groups in
America began to observe it as well. In 1975 the United Nations formally recognized and sponsored
March 8th as International Women’s Day.

National Women’s History Week (1980 - 1986)

Women’s History Week was at first a communal celebration that was initiated by the school district
of Sonoma, California in 1978. It was a weeklong event centered around the week of March 8th
(International Women’s Day). News of this event spread and the next year in 1979 during a
women’s history conference, it was suggested that this event be celebrated nationwide. Their efforts
over the next year payed off when in 1980 President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential
proclamation declaring the week of March 8th, 1980, as National Women's History Week. Each year
after that until 1986 the sitting president issued a similar proclamation declaring a week in March as
National Women’s History Week.

Women’s History Month (1987 - Ongoing)

By 1986, fourteen states had already declared March as Women’s History Month on their own
accord. Between this momentum and a petition by the National Women’s History Project, Congress
passed a resolution in 1987 declaring, by public, law the entire month of March, 1987 as Women’s
History Month. In subsequent years Congress has passed additional resolutions requesting and
authorizing the president to proclaim March as Women’s History Month. Since 1988, every
president has proclaimed March as Women’s History Month. Each year the National Women’s
History Project declares a new theme for Women’s History Month.

● 1987: "Generations of Courage, ● 2005: "Women Change America"

Compassion, and Conviction"
● 1988: "Reclaiming the Past, Rewriting
the Future"
● 1989: "Heritage of Strength and Vision"
● 1990: "Courageous Voices – Echoing in
Our Lives"
● 1991: "Nurturing Tradition, Fostering
Change"
● 1992: "A Patchwork of Many Lives"
● 1993: "Discover a New World"
● 1994: "In Every Generation, Action
Frees Our Dreams"
● 1995: "Promises to Keep"
● 1996: "See History in a New Way"
● 1997: "A Fine and Long Tradition of
Community Leadership"
● 1998: "Living the Legacy"
● 1999: "Women Putting Our Stamp on
America"
● 2000: "An Extraordinary Century for
Women 1900–2000"
● 2001: "Celebrating Women of Courage
and Vision"
● 2002: "Women Sustaining the
American Spirit"
● 2003: "Women Pioneering the Future"
● 2004: "Women Inspiring Hope and
Possibility"
● 2006: "Women, Builders of Communities and
Dreams"
● 2007: "Generations of Women Moving History
Forward"
● 2008: "Women's Art Women's Vision"
● 2009: "Women Taking the Lead to Save Our
Planet"
● 2010: "Writing Women Back into History"
● 2011: "Our History is Our Strength"
● 2012: "Women's Education – Women's
Empowerment"
● 2013: "Women Inspiring Innovation Through
Imagination:Celebrating Women in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics"
● 2014: "Celebrating Women of Character, Courage,
and Commitment"
● 2015: "Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives"
● 2016: "Working to Form a More Perfect Union:
Honoring Women in Public Service and
Government"
● 2017: "Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and
Business"
● 2018: "Nevertheless, She Persisted: Honoring
Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination
against Women", referring to Mitch McConnell's
"Nevertheless, she ​persisted​" remark about
Elizabeth Warren​.
● 2019: “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace &
Nonviolence”