What is Women's History Month?

Women's History Month highlights and celebrates the contributions of women in history. Internationally, March is recognized as Women's History Month (WHM). WHM can be traced back to the first International Women's Day, held on March 8, 1911.

In 1980, then President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the week of March 8th National Women's History Week. In his proclamation, he 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. As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, 'Women’s History is Women’s Right.' It is an essential and indispensable heritage from which we can draw pride, comfort, courage, and long-range vision. I ask my fellow Americans to recognize this heritage with appropriate activities during National Women’s History Week, March 2-8, 1980. I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality - Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, and Alice Paul. Understanding the true history of our country will help us to comprehend the need for full equality under the law for all our people. This goal can be achieved by ratifying the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that 'Equality of Rights under the Law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

In 1987, Congress expanded Women's History Week into Women's History Month after being petitioned by the National Women's History Project.

The Women’s Resource Center has selected our 2021 theme this year to be "Celebrating Women Who Fight for Justice."

How does the Women's Resource Center Celebrate Women's History Month?

Each year, the Women's Resource Center publishes a calendar of campus events centered around WHM. Additionally, the center supports events such as AAUW’s Start Smart and Work Smart workshops as well as Aggie Women’s First Thursday Speaker Series.