Women’s History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. Women’s History Month 2022 will take place from Tuesday, March 1-Thursday, March 31, 2022.

The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.

A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts and organizations across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week. The U.S. Congress followed suit the next year, passing a resolution establishing a national celebration. Six years later, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire month of March.

Famous Women and Facts:

Abigail Adams was not only an early advocate for women’s rights, but she was also a vital confidant and advisor to her husband John Adams, the nation’s second president. She opposed slavery and supported women’s education. Sojourner Truth a former slave, Sojourner Truth became an outspoken advocate for abolition, temperance, and civil and women’s rights in the nineteenth century. Her Civil War work earned her an invitation to meet President Abraham Lincoln in 1864. Susan B. Anthony was a pioneer crusader for women’s suffrage in the United States. She was president (1892–1900) of the National Woman Suffrage Association. Her work helped pave the way for the Nineteenth Amendment (1920) to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote. Rosa Parks called “the mother of the civil rights movement,” Rosa Parks invigorated the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks’ arrest on December 1, 1955, launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott by 17,000 black citizens. Tarana Burke is the founding member of the Me Too Movement, a social movement against sexual violence and sexual assault.

The National Women’s History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women’s History Month. The 2022 theme is “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.” This theme is “both a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during this ongoing pandemic and also a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.”

International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women, took place for the first time on March 8, 1911. Many countries around the world celebrate the holiday with demonstrations, educational initiatives, and customs such as presenting women with gifts and flowers.

Looking for ways to celebrate the women in your workplace?

It can be overwhelming to think about how you can best celebrate those hard-working women in your office. However, the act of spotlighting or highlighting female employees for all their hard work is a simple and inspiring place to start. If you’d like to go the extra mile, consider the below tips for honoring those ladies, and remember, women deserve the appreciation during this specific month, as well as the rest of the year.

1. Start a regular female-focused leadership event or seminar hosted by experienced speakers
2. Encourage female employees to continue their education and provide them the time or means to do so
3. Include women in your DEI focus groups for better inclusion
4. Allow flexible or hybrid work schedules to accommodate women taking care of families
5. Support a maternity leave plan and include it in your handbook

Resources:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/womens-history-month

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/tarana-burke