Women's History Month 2024: Origin, significance, future

The National Women's History Project (NWHP), which was established in 1980 by a group of women historians and activists in Santa Rosa, California, is credited with starting Women's History Month. 

The goal of the NWHP's founding was to honour and celebrate the many, sometimes underappreciated, accomplishments made by women throughout history, according to Women of Wisdom.

The success of the NWHP's initiatives to advance women's history education and awareness gave rise to the concept of Women's History Month. A local event known as "Women's History Week" was started in 1978 by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women, which was connected to the NWHP. 

The celebration took place during the week of March 8th, which was International Women's Day.

Efforts to extend Women's History Week across the country were spurred by the event's popularity in Sonoma County. The NWHP pushed for Women's History Week to be recognised nationally, collaborating with other women's organisations and activists. 

President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation designating the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week as a result of their efforts.

The effort to honour women's history gathered steam in the years that followed. Congress extended the event from a week to a month in 1987 by passing a resolution declaring March to be "Women's History Month." 

Since then, nations all around the world have joined in honouring women's contributions to society, and Women's History Month has become an annual celebration in the United States.