Why have a month set aside to celebrate women's history? As recently as the 1970s women's history has been virtually an unknown topic. When I was a young women there were a myriad of things women were told they could not do, like run for office or go to law school. So I want to thank all of those women who led the way. I like to think, in a small way, I was one of them.
Nevertheless, she persisted...
It wasn't until 1980 that President Jimmy Carter declared March as Women's History Month:
From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built American was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.
Yesterday I was thrilled to attend Onyx Magazine's luncheon honoring the accomplishments of African American women here in Florida. It was a packed house. And all kinds of people were there to help celebrate these woman - and all women. I wish every middle and high schooler could have been there to see the accomplishments of these women being honored. We can almost be assured that nothing was given to them. They earned it.
Nevertheless, she persisted...
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