Women’s History Month is dedicated to all the females who are constantly working hard to give women the rights and opportunities they deserve. This month celebrates women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Women’s History Month has been celebrated annually since 1987.

The fight for female equality began in 1848 at a women’s rights convention. The convention led activists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to create the National Woman Suffrage Association– which supported reforms to give women an equal life within society. These suffragists went directly to President Woodrow Wilson to advocate for their rights, but he sent them all to prison when they began to strike. Junior Sami Hartman said, “The most important event in women’s history was gaining the right to vote.” Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment which ultimately gave women the right to vote and made them one step closer to having equality in America. In 1963, the Equal Pay act was passed which ultimately made a fair labor standard by abolishing wage disparity based upon sex. After that was passed Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug and Betty Friedan formed the National Women’s Political Caucus. This organization was dedicated to recruiting and supporting women who wanted any level of government job, helping them reach their full potential.

Advocating for Women’s Rights

From women’s suffrage to racial equality to educational rights, many important figures paved the way to where society is today. 

Ida B. Wells, one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), was an investigative journalist who reported on lynching in the U.S. After she was forced to flee from Tennessee she moved to Chicago and gave multiple speeches about the wrong doing of lynching and even formed anti-lynching groups around the world.

Stanton and Anthony fought for women’s equality in the mid-nineteenth century. Together they launched a national women’s suffrage movement, published the newspaper The Revolution,, lectured, lobbied and protested for equal rights. They made a huge impact in equality for women in the United States.

Harriet Tubman was a spy who led slaves to freedom during the civil war. Tubman led 300 enslaved people through the Underground Railroad from the American south to the north to allow them to be free. She still inspires girls today for her bravery, courage and kindness for helping people be free along with advocating for rights of slaves and women.

Alice Paul was an American Quaker, suffragist, feminist and women’s rights activists. She wrote about her life in prison as she was fighting for women’s suffrage to end. She helped campaign and lead the movement for the nineteenth amendment. This amendment prohibits sex discrimination in the right to vote- allowing women a chance to vote.

Women that have overcome boundaries

There were many women who went out to reach their goals even though society may have believed them to be doing a man’s work. Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court of Justice, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly a plane, Sally Ride was the first American woman in space and Halle Berry was the first African American woman to win the Oscar for “Best Actress”. Serena Williams was an American tennis player who won more Grand Slam single titles than any male or female in the time period of the open season of tennis. Kamala Harris is an American politician and she is the current vice president of the United States. Malala Yousafzai is an educational activist who won a Nobel Peace Prize when she was only 17 and is currently fighting for young women’s educational rights.

All these women did amazing things to reach their goals to get where they are today. These were huge motivators in women’s history and this is a great month to highlight the amazing women in history. 

Celebrating Women’s History Month at OHS

In the month of March everyone should celebrate the amazing things women have done for history and celebrate the amazing things women can do in the future. 

Senior Miana Risser said, “Women are important and it is good to highlight the ones that got us to where we are today.”

Women’s History Month is represented by the color purple which you will see around the world as decoration because it is recognized as the color of gender equality. This color not only represents equality but the sacrifices that women had to make to get them to today’s world.

Sophomore Halle Theis said, “We should celebrate Women’s History Month by hanging posters around the school.” By hanging posters in schools and around the community people can learn more about how women’s rights have evolved to today’s world.

This month is empowering women of all ages to feel confident, strong and brave. This history will continue to inspire future generations to emulate the women who have framed our future today and for them to be recognized as heroes. These women risked their lives to be able to do the same things as everyone else and now today, women get this opportunity to own what they have and choose what they want to do with their lives. These women in history showed us that with hard work and determination one can achieve anything they may want in this world.