Women's History Month

Women’s History Month is dedicated to celebrating all the women who have done significant work which usually piles up into the stack of overlooked contributions.

It was established in 1981 when Congress passed Public Law 97-28, authorizing and requesting that the President declare the week beginning March 7, 1982, as "Women's History Week." Over the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women's History Week."

Since 1995, the president has issued a series of annual proclamations designating March as Women's History Month. These declarations celebrate women's contributions to America and celebrate their achievements in various fields throughout American history.

 

 

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This is a month where we have the opportunity to discuss, honor, and reflect on the role women have played in shaping the world that it is today. The national Women’s History Month theme for 2023 is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” This theme was designed to help recognize past and present women who have been active in all types of media and storytelling.

The Colors of Women's History

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The colors of Women’s History Month are purple, green, and white. Each color has a meaning -  purple represents women’s fight for suffrage, green represents hope and growth, and white represents equality, truth, and freedom. Each of these colors is the root of the suffrage movement, which focused on achieving voting rights for women. The 19th Amendment was passed on August 26, 1920 and granted women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton played a huge role in this movement.

International Women’s Day is on March 8th, and Clara Zetkin, a German activist, was the one to first recognize that day. International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The theme for International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity.

Help us celebrate Women’s History Month by stopping by the exhibits on display this month.  

HerStory Display

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The HerStory is a project created by the Center for Women’s Studies. This project is to honor the women who have shaped humanity and history by recognizing the achievements and contributions of extraordinary women who have made a significant difference in this world. Members of the University of North Alabama community were invited to participate by choosing a woman who has made a significant contribution to humanity and who has inspired them. The HerStory Display will be located in Collier Library. You will find the following women featured in the display along with their heroine:

  • Savannah Siniard
  • Aimee Pierce
  • Haoran Huang
  • Shanise Allen
  • Diksha Chottani
  • Laura Tapia
  • Hope E. Buckley

Go check out the display on the 1st floor in Collier Library!

Women in STEM Display

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We highlight women across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as the history of women’s accomplishments in STEM has consistently been underrepresented. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women represented nearly half of all U.S. workers but only one-third of STEM workers in 2019. While women have made remarkable contributions to society throughout STEM history, their representation in STEM jobs has been disproportionate to their representation in general. We honor the legacy of women in STEM by committing to telling their untold history of them. These incredible women have made groundbreaking discoveries and revolutionized our civilization, and they are all true trailblazers in their fields, paving the way for decades of women to follow.

Today we are featuring the women listed below:

Hypatia (b. 350), astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher
Melba Roy Mouton (b. 1929), mathematician and computer programmer
Mae Jemison (b. 1956), physician, Peace Corps volunteer, teacher, astronaut, dancer, and founder of two technology companies
Marie Curie (1867-1934), physicist and chemist
Wanda Diaz, astronomer
Christina Hernandez, system engineering
Jocelyn Bell Burnell, physics researcher
Katherine Johnson (b. 1918), space scientist and mathematician
Liu Yang (b. 1978), astronaut
Mary Jackson (b. 1921), mathematician
Ada Lovelace (b. 1815), computer programmer
Eileen Collins (b. 1956), pilot
Annie Easley (b. 1933), computer programmer
Henrietta Swan Leavitt, astronomer
Irene Curie (1897-1956), chemist
Nancy Roman (1925-2018), astronomer
Jessica Watkins (b. 1988), astronaut, geologist, aquanaut, and former international rugby player
Sunita Williams (b. 1965), astronaut
Grace Hopper (b. 1906), computer scientist
Cady Coleman (b. 1960), U.S. Air Force Colonel, chemist, and astronaut
Vera Rubin, astrophysicist 

Visit the displays offered in the Collier Library! You are all welcome to join us!

FLPL Women’s History Month Display

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This year for Women’s History Month, the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library reflects on local history. 

Abby Carpenter of FLPL says this about the display:

"The Florence-Lauderdale Public Library commemorates Women's History Month 2023 through an exhibit in our gallery area. The exhibit is composed of photographs and biographical captions from our archives. We invite you to explore the lives of these extraordinary women who contributed to our local community."

Visit Florence-Lauderdale Public Library for their Women’s History Month Display and learn more about local women and their contributions. 

Online Displays or Resources