04/03/2026
Local Roots (1978): It began as a local "Women's History Week" in Sonoma County, California, organized by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women.
National Recognition (1980): President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week.
Expansion to Month (1987): After petitioning by the National Women's History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance), Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as Women's History Month.
Why March?: The month was chosen to coincide with International Women's Day, which is celebrated globally on March 8.