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Image credit: NWHA
The National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA), which spearheaded the movement for March being declared National Women’s History Month, has announced the women’s history yearly theme for 2025: "Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations."
Throughout 2025, the NWHA will encourage recognition of women educators, past and present, who have transformed education through their pedagogical approaches, mentorship, leadership, and activism.
As in previous years, the NWHA, which is centered in Santa Rosa, California, will encourage local communities throughout the country to use the year’s theme to guide their own celebrations. The NWHA will popularize national efforts through on-line celebrations, a special magazine and thematic products that recognize and honor these brave, accomplished and influential women who told – and continue to tell – our stories.
"2025 Women's History Month Theme." National Women's History Alliance. https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/womens-history-theme-9-2024/. Accessed 4 Mar 2025.
Image credit: NWHA
Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978 (pictured above). The organizers selected the week of March 8 to correspond with International Women’s Day*. The movement spread across the country as other communities initiated their own Women’s History Week celebrations the following year.
In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians—led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance)—successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8th 1980 as National Women’s History Week.
Subsequent Presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987 when Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March 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, each president has issued an annual proclamation 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.
*International Women's Day, is also celebrated annually in many countries around the world on March 8. This commemoration originated in the activities of labor movements in the early 1900's in North America and across Europe. The United Nations officially recognized International Women's Day in 1977.
"Women's History Month." National Women's History Museum. www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month. Accessed 09 Feb 2022.
