"Throughout our Nation's history, American women have led movements for social and economic justice, made groundbreaking scientific discoveries, enriched our culture with stunning works of art and literature, and charted bold directions in our foreign policy. They have served our country with valor, from the battlefields of the Revolutionary War to the deserts of Iraq and mountains of Afghanistan. During Women's History Month, we recognize the victories, struggles, and stories of the women who have made our country what it is today."—Barack Obama, Presidential Proclamation, Women’s History Month 2014
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. Students participated in a "Real Woman" essay contest, presentations were given at schools, and a parade was held in Santa Rosa. A few years later, the idea had caught on within communities, school districts, and organizations across the country. The United States has observed it annually throughout the month of March since 1987.
We have many print materials in our collection on women’s history. Here are just a few available at Central Library:
Dear Sisters: Dispatches From the Women's Liberation Movement by Rosalyn Baxandall and Linda Gordon.
When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present by Gail Collins
Tidal Wave: How Women Changed America at Century's End by Sara M. Evans
Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women's Rights Movement by Sally G. McMillen
The Rise of the New Woman: The Women's Movement in America, 1875-1930 by Jean V. Matthews
No Small Courage: A History of Women in the United States edited by Nancy F. Cott.
No Permanent Waves: Recasting Histories of U.S. Feminism edited by Nancy A. Hewitt
We are our Mothers' Daughters by Cokie Roberts
The Political Thought of Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Women's Rights and the American Political Traditions by Sue Davis
Winning the Vote: The Triumph of the American Woman Suffrage Movement by Robert P.J. Cooney, Jr.