National Women’s Month is a time when we get to recognize and honor all the strong-willed women in our lives and the struggles that women from all across the globe had to make in order to get to where we are today! The origin of National Women’s Day dates back to the Women’s Suffrage Movement, which was a decade-long battle that took place in the early 18th century. Prominent figures like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Caty Stanton, Lucy Stone, Alice Paul, and Ida B. Wells were all committed to the enfranchisement of all American women.  Several generations of women marched, advocated, and practiced civil disobedience in an effort for politicians to consider a radical change in the Constitution – allowing women the right to vote!

On June 4, 1919, the 19th Amendment was passed by Congress and ratified on August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment legally granted women the right to vote, obtaining this breakthrough was a turning point for all women, it fermented the idea that women were more than societal standards and could finally have alienable rights that everyone else had at the time. When Congress approved Pub. L. 97-28, authorizing and requesting the President to proclaim the week commencing March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week,” the concept for Women’s History Month was born. During the following five years, Congress kept approving joint resolutions declaring a week in March to be “Women’s History Week.” 

After the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress, Pub. L. 100-9, designating March 1987 as “Women’s History Month,” was passed in 1987. Further resolutions urging and empowering the President to declare March of each year as Women’s History Month were approved by Congress between 1988 and 1994. Presidents have declared March to be “Women’s History Month” in a series of proclamations every year since 1995. These proclamations honor the contributions women have made to America and highlight the unique accomplishments they have made throughout the country’s history in a range of disciplines.

Becton commemorates this accomplishment by celebrating the trying efforts of all women. The Girls Helping Girls Club prepared for National Women’s Day by giving out treats to all the female staff members in the building. The treats varied from cookies to cupcakes and were baked by a select group of members of the Girl Helping Girls Club.  Letters of gratitude were also given out to any staff member who was chosen by the students. Students were able to share their appreciation for their teachers. The halls are filled with bulletin boards of women’s accomplishments. Jahn Maka, the advisor for the Girls Helping Girls Club shares the importance of this National Month, “It is important to honor all of the strong and powerful females in our lives, especially those that inspire us every day. Our members volunteered to write letters of gratitude to female staff that inspire them, and members also volunteered to bake treats to hand out to all of the female staff members.” 

She also adds how she celebrates the women in her life around her, “I try to celebrate the women in my life by reaching out to them and thanking them for always inspiring me and providing support and encouragement.  I also encourage my daughter to write letters of gratitude to her female teachers.” During this month, try to set out some time to thank the women in your life that surround you for the impact that they have made.  Maka shares the value of having a Girls Helping Girls Club in Becton, especially for the month of March, “I think that it is critical to inspire girls every day to be strong, successful and independent women.  I hope that the club allows the girls to be empowered but to also look out for each other.” Women have made their mark on the world, and it is important to see how far they have come. Happy International Women’s Month to all the female staff members in Becton. The Wildcat family stands behind you!