Celebrate Her Story in March
By Selina Johnson Wylam Library
"When I started working on women's history about thirty years ago, the field did not exist. People didn't think that women had a history worth knowing.”
This statement was made in 1986, by Gerda Lerner, a pioneer in making women’s history a recognized field of research. The United States first celebrated women’s history in 1978 with “Women’s History Week” and the passage of a law making the month of March “Women’s History Month” in the United States came in 1987.
The theme for Women’s History Month this year is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced.” This theme continues the celebration of the women’s suffrage centennial. The original suffrage movement profoundly empowered women and was just the beginning of their collective action to make positive change in American culture and society.
Remarkable progress for women has been made in the over 100 years since women’s suffrage but there is still so much more to do. To this end, women have collectively and individually continued to mobilize change that progresses toward equity for all.
The stories of women who through their bravery and persistence have made the world a better place should be acknowledged and shared.
This quote by Margaret Mead is quite befitting for Women’s History Month and the times that we are currently experiencing, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
Take some time out this month to learn about some of the amazing contributions that women have made in our history. Their stories of courage, tenacity, and achievement are awe-inspiring.
Listed below are a few of the many informative reads about trailblazing women that are available at Birmingham Public Library.
By Alicia Malone
By Gillian Thomas
By Joann S. Lublin
By Kathy Iandoli
By Blair Imani; foreword by Tegan and Sara; illustrated by Monique Le
By Nathalia Holt
By Linda Hirshman
By Haley Shapley; photographs by Sophy Holland
By Martha S. Jones
By Ilene Cooper; illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley ; foreword by Former U.S. senator Olympia Snowe
Written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky
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