March is Women's History Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.

Because of Her Story

The American Women's History Initiative will amplify women's voices to honor the past, inform the present and inspire the future.
The stories we tell deepen our understanding of women’s contributions to America and the world, showing how far women have advanced and how we as a country value equality and the contributions of all our citizens. (Smithsonian Institution)
Read the stories »

Image Credit: Smithsonian Institution, Office of Communications & External Affairs

Women's History Site from the National Park Service

From the lives of young, immigrant women who worked the textile mills at Lowell National Historical Park to those of the female shipyard workers who were essential to the home front during World War II at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park, women's history can be found at every park. If you want to understand our nation's history, explore the remarkable legacies of American women.
Women's History at America's National Parks »

Image Credit: Detail of . . . [Mural: Women of the Wiregrass, 126 N. St. Andrews Street, Dothan, Alabama] (Library of Congress)

Woman's History Site from the National Archives

The National Archives celebrates Women's History Month, recognizing the great contributions that women have made to our nation. Learn about the history of women in the United States by exploring their stories through letters, photographs, film, and other primary sources.
Explore the site »

Image Credit: Women Marching in Suffragette Parade, Washington, DC (National Archives)

The Women of Four Wars

The limited but important roles women played in Korea and Vietnam paved the path to more expanded -- and in some cases more dangerous -- specialties in recent wars.
Find out more about women in the military »

Image credit: Color digital image of Lee Lane in uniform sitting in the cockpit doorway of a helicopter (Library of Congress)

For Teachers

Put the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids.
Educational resources »

Image credit: Encre L. Marquet by Eugène Grasset, 1892 (Library of Congress)

2019 Event Highlights

Exhibition

Throughout the Month

Betty Ford: A Champion for Breast Cancer Awareness
Breaking with social conventions of the time, Betty Ford reassured women already suffering from similar ordeals and purposefully raised public awareness of screening and treatment options that ultimately saved the lives of countless Americans.

(National Archives)

Panel Discussions

Multiple Dates & Locations

How Did American Women Act? Heroism on the Home Front
Women's roles changed significantly in World War II America. Many were conscripted to join the war effort and wielded new power through jobs outside the home.

(United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon

March 10

Feminism and the Arts: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon
Think women artists deserve more recognition? It's your chance to correct the historical record! Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Art+Feminism, a campaign to improve coverage of feminism and the arts on Wikipedia, for a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon.

(Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Symposium

March 22

Code Girls Reunion and Women's History Month Observance
Join the Library of Congress Veterans History Project and New York Times bestselling author Liza Mundy for the first-ever “Code Girls” reunion.

This event will also be livestreamed on the Library's Facebook page and its YouTube site (with captions).

(Library of Congress)

Film Festival

March 30

Women Directors Film Festival @ SAAM: Visionaries, Then and Now
This all-day festival highlights the visionary work of women film directors across time, space, and creative contexts. The program includes silent cinema trailblazers as well as experimental videos and contemporary film, with insightful introductions and post-screening discussions. Schedule at AmericanArt.si.edu/movies

(Smithsonian American Art Museum)