IDEA Public Schools is proud to join our nation in honoring Women’s History Month throughout the month of March! This annual celebration commemorates and encourages the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history and their contributions to history, culture and society.
Women’s History Month originated as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” Beginning March 1987, the celebration was extended to become Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”
The year 2020 marked 100 years since women in the United States earned the right to vote. This long road to equality began with trailblazing suffragists like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who pioneered the fight for a woman’s right to vote. Forward-thinking women like these paved the way for women’s right activists, such as Elizabeth Blackwell, Sojourner Truth and Jeannette Rankin, who fought to change the perception of women and open the door for women to pursue goals outside their traditional gender roles.
However, even so many years later, the conversation about gender equality still remains prominent, and there is still work to be done.
Our Mission
Our philosophy is to provide a great education for all children. We champion this month as an additional opportunity to educate our students about the struggles and triumphs of women’s history and the work ahead of us as a nation to achieve educational and gender equality. Too often, the accomplishments of women are overlooked in history books, curriculum, literature and so many other facets of school and society. As we reflect on the unique contributions of women in American history, we should also engage scholars in lessons and meaningful discussions about women’s history, gender equality, and issues affecting women and girls today.
As an organization proudly managed by majority women, it is our duty to ensure our staff, students and families understand the critical role we all play in empowering young women and girls. Across our country, women still fight battles and break barriers in the career fields they pursue, in the workplace, in their personal health, in their homes and families and out in the world – challenging the traditional definition of what it means to “be a woman” and forging a new path for those who may come after them. By educating, empowering and encouraging our young people, we are all working together toward progress and the hope of a better tomorrow. Women’s History Month continues to be a celebration of how far we have come and the belief that anything is possible no matter where you come from or what you look like.
Read more about the history and celebration of Women’s History Month, find resources for teachers or to celebrate at home and more at womenshistorymonth.gov! You can also check out this interesting timeline of women’s history milestones!
