Women's History Month
“Women understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions. Women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice - we recognize the example of women who are committed to embracing everyone and excluding no one in our common quest for freedom and opportunity.” From National Women’s History Alliance
Women’s History month
March is Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is “Moving Forward Together,” highlighting educators, mentors, and leaders who shape our values and inspire future generations. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week. The proclamation stated, "…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.” (From Wikipedia).
Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate and highlight the innumerable contributions women have made in the development and growth of our nation alongside men who, often received the credit and recognition, fame and wealth that were frequently denied to the women who did the work and made the sacrifices. This disparity is especially true for women of color who were often left out of the conversation, historically overlooked, and excluded from many spaces, both figuratively and literally. A notable example of this erasure involves three exceptional Black women: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson -mathematicians, engineers, and computer programmers whose work was integral to the success of the first US launch into space. These 3 women, who initially faced both gender and racial segregation at NASA, were known as “human computers” due to their expertise in complex calculations that helped propel the United States' space program forward. Yet for decades, they were largely unacknowledged for their groundbreaking work and contributions. As noted by Astrobites.org, the 2016 movie Hidden Figures and its accompanying book brought these heroes to light, shining a well-deserved spotlight on their vital roles in space exploration. These women led extraordinary lives, often overshadowed by the achievements of their white male counterparts. The New Yorker’s review of the movie captured the essence of their importance, stating, “The basic virtue of Hidden Figures—and it’s a formidable one—is to proclaim with a clarion vibrancy that, were it not for the devoted, unique, and indispensable efforts of three Black women scientists, the United States might not have successfully sent people into space or to the moon and back.”
Below is a brief list of notable women who made history and exemplify intelligence, vision, hard work, perseverance, truth, strength, and resilience:
- Alice Wong: Founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community that fosters and amplifies disability media and culture
- Helen Keller: Deaf and blind, major 20th century humanitarian, educator and writer.
- Ibtihaj Muhammad: World-class fencer, 1st American to wear a hijab in Olympic competition at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.
- Maria Tallchief: 1st Native American prima ballerina, opened the Chicago City Ballet, activist.
- Marie Curie: Polish-French physicist and chemist,1st woman to win a Nobel Prize, 1st to win a Nobel Prize twice, and only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields.1st woman to become a professor at the University of Paris.
- Rashida Tlaib: One of the 1st Muslim-Americans, as well as the 1st Palestinian American woman, elected to the United States Congress, advocates for issues affecting the working-class.
- Rigoberta Menchú: Guatemalan human rights activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 1st Jewish Woman SCOTUS, 2nd Woman SCOTUS, Co-founded The Women’s Rights Law Reporter, 1st tenured woman professor at Columbia Law School.
- Shirley Chisholm: 1st African American Woman to serve in Congress, activist, educator, co-founder of the National Women's Political Caucus, 1st Black woman and second woman ever to serve on the powerful House Rules Committee.
- Sonia Sotomayor: 1st Latina and 3rd woman SCOTUS, founding member of the NYC Campaign Finance Board, youngest judge in the Southern District of NYC, 1st Hispanic federal judge in New York, 1st Puerto Rican woman judge in a U.S. federal court.
- Tammy Duckworth: 1st Thai American woman elected to Congress, Veteran, double amputee: 1st disabled woman elected to Congress, 1st female double amputee in the Senate, 1st senator to give birth while in office.
- Zitkála-Šá (Red Bird/Gertrude Simmons Bonnin): Native American musician, writer and activist, fought for women's suffrage and Indigenous voting rights.
These websites offer valuable information and history for both children and adults.
Here are some book suggestions for children:
- Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Joan Holub (Ages 2 - 8)
- What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett (Ages 4 - 8)
- Like a Girl by Lori Degman (Ages 4 - 8)
- How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk (Ages 4 - 8)
- Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (Ages 4 - 9)
- Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel (Ages 4 – 9)
- Ada Bryon Lovelace and the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark (Ages 4 - 12)
- Muslim Girls Rise by Saira Mir (Ages 6 +)
- Herstory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook Up the World (Ages 6 - 10)
- For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George (Ages 8 – 12)
- Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky(Ages 12)
- Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Journey to Justice by Debbie Levy (Ages 10 +)
- Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World by Rachel Ignotofsky (Ages 10+)
Children’s Books:
Books / movies for adults:
- Sula by Toni Morrison (book)
- Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (book) (Ages 17+)
- Women Talking by Miriam Toews (also available as a film on DVD and BluRay)
- It Won’t Always be Like This by Malaka Gharib (graphic memoir)
- Cher: The Memoir by Cher (book)
- Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay (book)
- First Gen: A Memoir by Alejandra Campoverdi (book)
- The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America by Clara Bingham (book)
- The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore (book)
- Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O’Farrell (book)
As we observe Women's History Month, let us remember and honor the incredible contributions of these women and countless others who, despite facing both gender and racial barriers, shaped history with their brilliance and resilience.
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