Why Women’s History?

When your parents and grandparents were growing up,  school mostly consisted of learning about a lot of white men.  Now, they did some great things, but they’re not the ONLY ones to do great things.  In February, we celebrated Black History Month , and March is dedicated to celebrating women’s  contributions to the world.  But it wasn’t always that way.  Women weren’t even allowed to vote until 1927!  Even then, the women’s movement didn’t really start growing until the 1960’s; however, no one thought about celebrating women until a California school district  held a “Women’s History Week” in 1978.  It was wildly popular, and Congress passed a resolution a few years later declaring a celebration for the whole country. In 1987, deciding that a week wasn’t long enough, Congress declared March  the National Women’s History Month.

If you want to find out more about Women’s History, we’ve collected several resources for you:

SUBJECT and KEY WORD SEARCH TERMS

women--social conditions

Women—history

Feminism, suffrage, “women’s rights,”  

REFERENCE:

New Book of Goddesses and Heroines 291.2

Dictionary of Women 920

Taking Sides:  Gender 305.3 (back shelf)

Taking Sides: Family and Personal Relationships 306.8 (back shelf)

BOOKS:

Browse through the following call numbers:  301, 305.4 or 331

We also recommend the following:

  • Bernikow, Louise. The American Women’s Almanac: An inspiring and irreverent history. 305.41
  • Carlson, Dale.  Girls are equal too: The Women’s Movement for Teenagers. 301.41
  • Gager, Nancy.  The Women’s Rights Almanac: A unique guide about and for all American women  301.41
  • Hymowitz, Carol.  A History of Women in America.  301.41
  • Lerner, Gerda  Black Women in White America  301.45
  • Mass, Wendy.  Women’s Rights 305.42
  • Miles, Rosaline.  Who Cooked the Last Supper? The Women’s History of the World. 305.4
  • Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey 978.02 Sch
  • Women’s Suffrage:  305.42
  • Voices:  African American and Latina Women in Pennsylvania 331.4
  • Yount, Lisa.  Contemporary Women Scientists  920 YOU

WEB SITES:

American Women Through Time  A great selection of online primary sources such as photographs, diaries and songs, arranged by decade.

300 Women Who Changed the World: Encyclopedia Britannica pays homage to women throughout history.

National Women’s History Project The national website celebrating women's accomplishments.

US Census:  Facts for Women’s History Month: How much do women earn? Are there more men than women? Find the answers here.

Women Who Changed History: Scholastic's interactive women's history website.

National Women’s History Museum:  Learn all about women spies, women in the Olympics and other topics in the Cybermuseum

National Museum of Women in the Arts: Great online exhibit of women artists from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Women in Science : From the Field Museum, "personal interviews with thirteen women about why they chose science."

Myths of Women's History: Were women burning their bras in the 60's? Not according to this site!

Women in Sports: FactMonster gives you the stats!

Women of Influence: US government site highlighting key women from history.

SELECTED BIOGRAPHIES:

Berson, Robin  Jane Addams  92A

Blacknall, Carolyn.  Sally Ride: America’s First Woman in Space 92 R433

Brinns, Tristan  Elizabeth Blackwell, First Woman Physician 92B

Butler, Mary. Sojourner Truth: From Slave to Activist for Freedom 92T

Ditchfield, Christan. Clara Barton, Found of thet American Red Cross 92 B

Satrapi, Marjane  Persepolis 92 Sa83

Worth, Richard.  Cleopatra: Queen of Ancient Egypt 92 R433
Created by: Jeri Hurd February 28, 2007