Women’s History Month is an annual celebration honoring the contributions of women to American history, culture, and society. With the strides toward equality that women have made in recent years, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a whole month dedicated to women’s achievements is no longer needed. At the time of the conception of Women’s History Week, activists saw the designation as a way to revise a written and social American history that largely ignored women’s contributions. Today, Women’s History Month gives us the opportunity to acknowledge these women’s struggles, celebrate their achievements and vision, and renew our commitment to continued gender equality.
When it comes to history, the story of women is largely one of exclusion, silence, absence and bias, and we need a month (at minimum) to counter the unbalance. Women have always been there, influencing human civilizations and the rise and fall of nations. Modernity hasn’t made women great; women made women great. The need for us to make an extra effort to learn about women who have played important roles in history continues.
So this Women’s History month, we encourage you to learn a woman’s name. Know her history. Know what she did, how she did it, and why she did it. Shining a light on women’s contributions to the chronicles of human history makes us equal humans, equally worthy of being remembered for our deeds. Women’s History Month matters because women’s history needs to matter to us.
With appreciation,
Mark
