Women's History Month -- 'Writing Women Back into History'

Posted February 25, 2010
By Jerry Rogers
Norfolk District Public Affairs

2/25/2010 - NORFOLK, Va. — During the month of March, Americans will reflect on and honor the diverse and historic accomplishments made by women in shaping the country's history.

This year, Norfolk district employees can ruminate on those accomplishments with renowned international artist Ms. Rieneke Leenders of Virginia Beach. The presentation will be March 17 at 1:30 p.m., in the multipurpose room of the Waterfield Building.

The design inspiration of the Women's History Month observance poster comes from the National Women's History Project's 2010 theme, "Writing Women Back into History," said Peter Hemmer, a defense department illustrator. "The poster includes many of the names of women who have been honored by the women's history project in previous years, and the image is a sketch from a suffrage photo from the national archives," Hemmer added.

Women's history was virtually an unknown topic in the general public consciousness as recently as the 1970s, according to officials of the National Women's History Project. To address this historical oversight, added officials, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County, Calif. Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" celebration for 1978.

International Women's Day, celebrated the week of March 8, was chosen as the focal point of the observance. The activities held were met with enthusiastic response, and within a few years, dozens of American schools planned special programs for Women's History Week, said project officials.

The efforts of many women paid off in 1981, as a congressional resolution declared a "National Women's History Week." Senator Orrin Hatch and Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski co-sponsored the first joint congressional resolution.

In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to expand the national celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women's History Month resolution has been approved with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.