M9 is honoring Women’s History Month in many different ways this year so stay tuned each week for ways you can celebrate as well!
Women’s History Month started 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 have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.
Motivational Messages
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.” – Helen Keller
Honorable Historic Moments
The women’s suffrage movement was a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once. But on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Inspirational Women Inventors
In 1881, in addition to the pollution-minimizing locomotive chimney, Mary Walton also patented a way to greatly reduce the noise of New York City’s elevated railways by insulating the tracks with boxes of sand. The city’s Metropolitan Railroad bought the rights almost immediately.
Woman-Owned Delicious Dining Options
Support These Female-Owned Restaurants & Businesses in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is quickly becoming the nation’s food capital. From classic eateries and upscale dining to cupcake shops and vegan diners, there’s a woman-run spot for everybody.
What Woman Inspires You? Views by members of the M9 Team
By: Bryn B., Human Resources Manager
My mom inspires me because no matter what our family has come up against, she always has a positive, encouraging attitude. She is our family’s unofficial therapist (her services she offers for free–with hugs!) who is there to listen any time day or night when you need it. She worked, baked amazing chocolate chip cookies, and was the family “chauffeur” for all the dance and gymnastic classes my sister and I went to each night. She inspires me by always accepting others, being a great listener, keeping a positive attitude, and being one of the smartest women I know. I would not be the woman I am today without her.