Everyone knows mothers day, flowers, chocolates, and expensive gifts but what about Women’s History Month? In the month of March, we celebrate the great women that make up American history.
From a Woman’s Week to A Women’s Month
When the thought of dedicating part of the calendar to women’s history started a proposed celebration in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978. The festival, meant to initially correspond with International Woman’s Day, celebrated on March 8, concluded with a parade in downtown Santa Rosa. Groups of people took the initiative to give presentations to hundreds of schools, children participate in “Real Woman” essay competitions to write about an inspirational woman they personally know.
By 1980, in just two short years, the idea caught on quickly with people in the community. And before long a group of women(now known as the National Women’s History Alliance) lobbied for a national holiday instead. In February of that same year, President Cartier proclaimed this after delegating March 2-8 as a national holiday.
From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.
This declaration continued until 1987, when Congress passed a public law officially labeling March as Woman’s History Month.
Every year the NWHA chooses a theme to celebrate the women, past and present, who spearheaded change. This year, 2023 is dedicated to “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
Remembering Is One Step Closer to Innovating
It’s more than just preaching to kids about the timeline of Rosa Parks or Sojourner Truth. It’s when celebrating how far we’ve come from the struggles of those like Toni Morrison, who struggled with lynching in her neighborhood before becoming the first Black woman editor for the Random House Publishing Company. Citizens learn from people like Betty Reid Soskin, who despite death threats and racist attacks, continued to advocate for integration even when working as a heavily segregated National Park Ranger for over sixty years.
Celebrate Together This Women’s Month
While there is no massive parade to celebrate this month like in the past, businesses still take the time to celebrate the occasion with new events.
Several popular events will take place in early March. Moe’s Cantina in River North invites residents to come to celebrate with cocktails, dancing, and a gold drag queen show for the partygoers on March 2. The party will include spots for around 500 guests and 35 potential tasting stations for the people to indulge in. This ticketed event includes a 9 p.m. after-party with a cash bar and includes Chicago’s top 30 leading restauranteurs as its host.
On March 6, Bronzeville Winery will hold a special dinner with popular chef Zoe Schor and female winemakers, Joana Macanita and Maria Castro, from Portugal. This dining experience requires a prepaid reservation for parties of up to six, and is a great celebration for families.
Wintrust Bank-Ogden Commons and Sinai Community Institute will be hosting an event on March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day. They will be serving refreshments from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sinai Community Institute in Townhalls A & B, located at 2653 West Ogden Avenue. Admission is free and parking will be discounted.
Celebrating Women’s Month together is what really fuels our understanding of each other in the present and the past. Today, by recognizing the past and recalling how far the U.S. has come, we can progress further than ever before.
Written by Brielle R. Buford
Sources:
Choose Chicago: How to celebrate Women’s History Month in Chicago
HISTORY: Women’s History Month 2023
National Woman’s History Month: Women’s History Month
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of alans1948‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Featured Image Courtesy of Peter Burka‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
