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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING MARCH AS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month is celebrated yearly from March 1 to March 31; and
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month is dedicated to reflecting the contributions of women to the United States (U.S) history; and
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month has its origin as Women’s History Week, which was organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978; and
WHEREAS, in 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week, and the following year it was passed by the U.S Congress; and
WHEREAS, in 1987, the National Women’s History Project (NWHP), now known as the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA), a not-for-profit organization founded to promote multicultural women’s history awareness, successfully petitioned to have Congress expand the recognition to the entire month of March; and
WHEREAS, since then, other countries have joined the U.S in honoring women and their contributions to history and culture; and
WHEREAS, for many years, women have faced different types of oppression; it wasn’t until the 19th Amendment was passed that women were granted the right to vote; in the 1900s, all states followed the New York Married Women’s Property Act (1848) which allowed women to gain property rights; even then, women were not allowed to apply for a credit card until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed in 1974; and
WHEREAS, women have made countless contributions to the civil rights movement, human rights advancements, and many other developments in our nation. Women also played a crucial role to inventions such as feeding tubes, dishwashers, central heating, electric refrigerators, call waiting & caller ID, windshield wipers, home security systems, and many more; and
WHEREAS, women’s rights continue to face attacks, further deepening inequalities; and
WHEREAS, Black, Latina, and LGBTQ women of color have experienced greater discrimination and disparities throughout our history; women of color still see greater wage and economic gaps, health disparities, maternal morbidity & mortality rates, and access to education opportunities compared to white women; and
WHEREAS, each year the National Women’s History Alliance chooses a theme for Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is “Women who advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion”; and
WHEREAS, this theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination from our lives and institutions; and
WHEREAS, Cook County honors all women who have shaped our history, set records, changed the face of politics, and established a firm place for women in society.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cook County Board of Commissioners recognizes March as Women’s History Month and applauds the work of all women in this great County.
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