Women's History Month: Overview

March 7, 3:30-6:00 pm

• Cultures of the Americas Seminar, featuring Christina Ramos
  • Christina Ramos, Ph.D., assistant professor of history at Washington University in St. Louis, and her award-winning book “Bedlam in the New World: A Mexican Madhouse in the Age of Enlightenment” (University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill, 2022). She will be joined by two guest commentators: Martha Few, Ph.D., (The Pennsylvania State College) and Rich Lizardo, Ph.D., (The University of Tulsa).

March 10, 5:30-7:00 pm

• A Spirituals Experience and Music She Wrote: A Celebration of Women Composers
  • Yolanda F. Johnson explores the emotional, spiritual journey and hidden communication traditional African American spirituals conveyed for enslaved Africans in America and the influence of spirituals on American music, including the debate on viewing them as part of the American Art Song canon.
  • The concert takes the audience on a musical journey from the Middle Ages, with chant by prolific composer, abbess, and mystic Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), to the present day, with compositions by Lucy Coolidge and Lena McLin.

Every Monday in March, 2:00-3:00 pm

• Black Girl Book Chat
  • Location: Virtual
  • Every Monday in March, McNeil will share a different story by a Black or African American woman author as a way to highlight stories across the African diaspora.

March 14, 12:00-2:00pm

• Lunch & Learn: Building Intergenerational Connections
  • Location: Rudisill Regional Library
  • Hear from a multigenerational panel of women about their experience while enjoying a catered meal. Stay for the door prizes! Registration is required.

​​​​March 25, 6:30-8:00pm

• Connection & Inspiration: Learning at the Dinner Table
  • Location: Rudisill Regional Library
  • Join the African American Resource Center and Amplify Youth Health Collective for a dinner learning session on building connections and safe spaces for women and girls of all ages.​​​​​​​ Registration is required.

Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978. The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.

In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week. 

Subsequent Presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

Source: National Women's History Museum

For 2025, the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) proudly presents the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.”

Discover how the 2025 theme celebrates the powerful influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership. This flyer highlights the significance of these contributions, the role of women in shaping society, and the goals of honoring, inspiring, educating, and uniting communities. Download the flyer to learn more about how you can engage with and promote this important theme in your own work and community efforts.

Source: nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org

10 talks by women that everyone should watch

• From the beloved TED Talk series: Color bravery. A headset for brainwaves. His/hers healthcare. 10 big, bold talks from female speakers.

National Women's History Museum

• Explore biographies and articles about women making history.

JSTOR: 21 open collections for Women’s History Month

• This year we’re sharing collections that cover women’s group efforts in fighting for equal rights, making the workplace more fair, and advancing their roles in religion.

National Archives Women's History

• Records in the National Archives document the great contributions that women have made to our nation. Learn about the history of women in the United States by exploring their stories through letters, photographs, film, and other primary sources. 

Women's Stories of...

• The National Park Service interprets the stories of all Americans, including those of ordinary and extraordinary women. While women often faced social constraints and could be restricted by conventional ideas about gender roles, they have been active participants in American society—as political activists, intellectuals, innovators, entrepreneurs, laborers, and educators.