Women's History Is Women's Rights

March is International Women's Month, a time to recognize the achievements of and to honor women. There is a saying by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: "Well behaved women seldom make history," and the exploits of the women who are remembered during March demonstrate that they were not well behaved. 

Photo: depts.ttu.edu

The start of International Women's Month originated as just a day to recognize women and grew out of an industrialized and socialist world. The first "Women's Day" in the US occurred in 1908 when the Women's National Committee asked the Socialist Party to designate a day for women. This took place in a time when women were marching and going on strikes in order to gain the right to vote and equal treatment. 

Photo: loc.gov

"From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well."

So said President Jimmy Carter when in 1980 he designated the week of March 2 to March 8 as National Women's week. The next year, Congress passed a joint resolution to establish National Women's Week and continued to do so for the next couple of years. Eventually, schools began teaching and promoting women's history during the month of March, creating a Women's History Month. 

Photo: depts.ttu.edu

Women have been an integral part of history since the beginning of human history, not just the beginning of American history. Just like African American history, women's history is American history but there will be a month dedicated to the study of women's accomplishments until there is full gender equality. 

Photo: depts.ttu.edu