Women's History Facts

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The public celebration of US women's history began in 1978 as "Women's History Week" in Sonoma County, California. The week including March 8, International women’s day, was selected. In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) co-sponsored a joint Congressional resolution proclaiming a national Women's History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women's History Month.

Some Famous Firsts by American Women:

First published American woman writer, Anne Bradstreet – 1650

First charitable organization for women in America, established by Anne Parrish – 1795

First woman in the U.S. to earn a medical degree, Elizabeth Blackwell - 1849

First black woman to receive an M.D. degree, Rebecca Lee Crumpler – 1864

First woman to graduate from dental school, Lucy Hobbs - 1866

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