Women’s History Month started as an idea at a conference and ended in an international celebration for women around the world. This is a timeline of this evolution, along with important figures that played an important role.
Dr. Gerda Lerner was the foremost historian in defining the importance of women’s history. She was a Nazi survivor and educator, a political activist, and even a wife and mother. She is even considered to be the “godmother of women’s history.” Her writing inspired other feminists to continue to fight for rights and recognition. One of whom is Molly Murphy MacGregor, who was selected to attend the conference and drew her inspiration from Lerner. MacGregor is now the co-founder and Executive Director of the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA).
In 1979, Lerner, a member and chair of The National Women’s History Alliance, participated in a 15-day conference about Women’s History at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. When the participants learned about the success of Sonoma County’s Women’s History Week celebration, the ladies decided to start their own celebrations within their organizations. They agreed to support an effort to secure a “National Women’s History Week.”
In 1980, President Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week. Later that year, Representative Barbara Mikulski and Senator Orrin Hatch co-sponsored a Congressional Resolution for National Women’s History Week in 1981. The wide range of support for honoring the achievements of women in America made the idea spread quickly. In 1987, the designation was extended by Congress to a whole month, according to the Library of Congress.
As the years passed, thousands of people and hundreds of schools celebrated National Women’s History Month, supported and encouraged by resolutions from governors, city councils, school boards, and the U.S. Congress.
The NWHA has been the official lead and chooses an annual theme that amplifies women’s achievements. The 2026 theme is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future”. The theme confronts a range of global issues, from climate change to healthcare disparities. They claim these issues are “deeply intertwined, and women, particularly from marginalized communities, often experience their impacts most acutely.” NWHA
The goal is to raise awareness about the crucial historical and modern roles of women in shaping sustainable change and to celebrate their contributions.
Cincinnati offers numerous events honoring Women’s History Month.
These include the Holocaust & Humanity Center Women’s History tour, focusing on local survivors on March 10th. Along with Harriet Beecher Stowe House, which includes feminist events, including “Was Harriet Beecher Stowe a feminist?”
International Women’s History Month is an opportunity to honor and recognize women’s achievements in the past and present, with a push for gender equality around the world. Its not just about learning about the past; it shapes our understanding of the effects of women’s contributions and even how we imagine the future.
“Each time a woman stands for herself without knowing it, possibly without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” – Maya Angelo
