Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California when the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week" celebration. To correspond with International Women’s Day, the organizers selected the week of March 8. Interest in a week long celebration spread quickly, and by the following year other communities across the country initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations.
In 1987 Women’s History Week became a month long celebration when Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. As part of this celebration, each year the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) selects and publishes a yearly theme. In honor of the centennial of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, the NWHA chose “Valiant Women of the Vote” for the 2020 theme. This theme honors "the brave women who fought to win suffrage rights for women, and for the women who continue to fight for the voting rights of others."
Looking for ways to celebrate Women's History Month with the young kids in your life? Check out the links below for book ideas: