It's been said that history is important for us to learn so that we can learn from past mistakes, and not repeat them in the future. It is also important to learn about history to see how our society has evolved and changed, and how much progress we have made.
National Women's History month, is but a brief moment each year where we celebrate the contributions of many different women over the years, helped society, as a whole, to move forward and make progress. There is no argument that women have come a long way since the beginning of time. Nor would there be any argument how much farther we still need to go.
Let me explain.
National Women's History month first started as National Women's History week in 1981, when President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first week of March to celebrate the contributions women had made to America over the previous years. Each year following, Congress continued to designate a week in March to celebrate Women's History Week. It wasn't until 1987 when Congress finally designated the entire month of March as "Women's History Month!"
I was 6yrs old when President Carter first proclaimed National Women's History Week. I was 12yrs old when Congress designated a full month to National Women's History. I will be 45yrs old this year and this is the first year I have heard of celebrating an entire month to women who have contributed to our history. Yes, in school we talked about different women historical figures, but we weren't told that March was National Women's History Month. Maybe you learned that in school, but I did not, and I am certain many others did not either.
As we continue to move forward and make strides as women, I think it is important we take some responsibility in educating others about National Women's History Month. As women, we also need to keep progress moving forward. How can we do that? We can start by celebrating each other, as well as past women who have made great accomplishments over the years. We can build each other up, and stand up for each other. We need to teach our own children the importance and historical significance of the contributions these women made over the years that moved our society forward in progress.
Let us teach our girls that they can impact society through small accomplishments like being kind to others, being helpful, and lifting each other up. Let us teach them, that they can also make huge impacts by changing laws, fighting for what is right and fair, and breaking down stereotypes and barriers. Let us teach our sons to stand up for their sisters and other women. Let us teach them to respect a woman's body and her ability to say "no!' Ultimately, the biggest impact we can make with our children as a whole is being the type of women and men that we are trying to teach our children to be.
You can start educating your children about why National Women's History Month is important by going to https://womenshistorymonth.gov/ and read about women who have impacted our history. You can also go to A.K. Smiley Library in Redlands on March 7th at 1pm and listen to local historian and professor Kathleen Feeley speak about 100 Years of Women's Suffrage. She will be sharing the suffragette's fight for the right to vote as well as all the events that led up to passing the 19th Amendment.
Click here for more details about 100 Years of Women's Suffrage
~ Trish
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