1. The first Women's History Day was held in 1909.
On February 28th, 1909, New York City held the first ever Women's History Day. This day was created to commemorate the one year anniversary of the city's garment industry workers' strikes when 15,000 women marched through lower Manhattan. A majority of these women were teenage girls who worked 12-hour days, for $15 a week. The Socialist Party of America chose this day to honor the women who bravely protested their miserable working conditions. This tradition slowly began to spread around the world and make its way through Europe. A few years later in 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory burned down, and 145 workers were killed. Soon after, lawmakers were pushed to pass legislation to protect factory workers, especially female workers.
2. This day became a week, then a month.
In 1978, an education task force in California kicked off Women's History Week beginning on March 8th. They wanted to draw attention to the fact that women's history wasn't included in K-12 school curriculum. The National Women's History Alliance campaigned yearly to make this week nationally recognized. Later in 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring this week to be nationally recognized. States began declaring the entire month of March to be Women's History Month. Soon in 1987, activists were successful in lobbying by having Congress declare the month of March to be Women's History Month.
3. Every Women's History Month has a theme.
The Women's History Month theme for 2020 was "Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced." Since COVID-19 put the world on pause last March, many of the women's suffrage centennial celebrations that were originally planned for 2020 were restricted and pushed to 2021. The National Women's History Alliance selected and published this theme to recognize and honor the women who've battled for women's suffrage and for the women who continue the struggle to ensure voting rights for all. For almost 100 years, women across the nation have been fighting for the right to vote. In the past, they have made speeches, signed petitions, stages demonstrations, and argued that women and men deserve all of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
4. The 19th amendment didn't give all women the right to vote.
The 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, became a part of The Constitution on August 18, 1920. Despite all of the celebration surrounding the 19th Amendment, millions of women around the world were still prevented from voting in the 1920s. There were still laws that prohibited Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latinx women from voting. State laws such as literacy tests and poll taxes prevented many women from voting up until 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.
5. The president declares every March Women's History Month.
In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women's History Month infinitely. Every year, a special Presidential Proclamation is issued to honor the extraordinary achievements of women, as well as to recognize the importance of this month.
6. Marie Curie was the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes.
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. But did you know that she was also the first person (man or woman) to win a second Nobel Prize? Curie remains the only person to date who has won the coveted prize in difference science categories, physics and chemistry! Throughout her lifetime, Curie struggled with overcoming gender discrimination and to be taken seriously by her peers. Since higher education was illegal in her homeland, Poland, she moved to Paris and received her education there. Curie's achievements consist of discovering two elements, polonium and radium, and founding two medical research centers. She also developed mobile X-rays to assist wounded soldiers in World War 1. As cheesy as it sounds, her accomplishments were radioactive!
7. Eleanor Roosevelt held all-women press conferences.
Eleanor Roosevelt, who was the First Lady at the time, held the first press conference for women reporters in 1933. They would meet in the Red Room for weekly press conferences. The First Lady would discuss her actions, programs, and encouraged women to become more politically active. She held a total of 348 press conferences for women reporters.
8. Women make up 46.8 percent of the labor force.
Since 1950, the number of women in the labor force has been significantly increasing. According to statusofwomendata.org, nearly six in ten women aged 16 and older worked outside the home in 2014. As of now, women comprise nearly half of the U.S. labor force at 46.8 percent.
9. More women are earning college degrees than men.
Women make up more than 56% of college students nationwide, according to Forbes, from the National Center for Education Statistics.
10. Women couldn't get credit cards on their own until 1974.
Women weren't able to get credit cards in their own name until Congress passed the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974. Women would often have to bring a man along to cosign for them. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg laid down the legal work for the foundation for this Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as many other basic rights women have today.
This blog was created by marketing assistant, Treanna, who is active in women's groups at Washington State University. We're grateful for you, Treanna!