5 Things You Should Know About Women's History Month | Care2 Healthy Living

5 Things You Should Know About Women's History Month | Care2 Healthy Living

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Do you know why? The whole purpose of Women’s History Month is to pay tribute to the unrecognized contributions of women in American history, and how they, like men, shaped the nation, but were often not acknowledged for their contributions.

Here are some other things to know about this important month and women in history:

The first official recognition of women’s history came in 1980. Initially, it was recognized as a week-long observance. Jimmy Carter issued the Presidential Proclamation of Women’s History Week stating, “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.” After several years and much lobbying, in 1987, congress declared March National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. A Presidential Proclamation is issued each year recognizing the month.

National Women’s History Week (and ultimately National Women’s History Month) was the brainchild of the National Women’s History Project (NWHP), a nonprofit organization that provides resources and information about the roles of women in American history. Each year, the NWHP chooses the theme and the individual women to honor each year

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