International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, has roots in early 20th-century labor movements. While officially recognized by the UN in 1977, its origins trace back to the 1909 National Woman’s Day in the US, honoring striking garment workers. In 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed March 8th as an international day for women’s rights, gaining widespread support by 1911. Initially used to protest World War I, the day became a symbol of broader women’s movements. The UN officially marked it in 1975, and in 1977, the UN General Assembly formalized it as a day for women’s rights and international peace.

Women’s History Month began as a week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978, organized by the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women. It coincided with International Women’s Day. The idea gained popularity, and in 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8th National Women’s History Week. President Reagan continued this until 1987 when Congress established the entire month of March as Women’s History Month. Since then, every president has issued annual proclamations for the occasion.