March is Women’s History Month. It celebrates women’s accomplishments, their contributions to society, and everything women have overcome. It’s a time to learn about history and prevent it from repeating itself.
Women’s History Day first began on February 28, 1909. It honored the anniversary of a garment strike led by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. While only socialists and suffragettes originally celebrated it, it soon grew in popularity. Eventually, Women’s History Day was moved to March 8, making March Women’s History Month. The federal government formally recognized it in 1987.
While not formally recognized till 1987, the month’s history began over a century earlier with women’s suffrage. The movement started around 1849 and gained momentum in the late 1860s. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, the movement’s leaders, demanded equal voting rights. The ratification of the 19th amendment occurred in 1919, giving women the right to vote. Women’s History Month, and women’s rights as a whole, are only possible because of this movement.