Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981
when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the
President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s
History Week." Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to
pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History
Week." In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History
Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of
March 1987 as “Women’s History Month." Between 1988 and 1994, Congress
passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President
to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995,
Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual
proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History
Month.”
Visit the ERL and browse our Women's History Month display
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