By Jim Vines | jim.helpingveterans@gmail.com
Kiera Zetkin, a German woman, was the first to organize an International Women’s Day on March 19, 1911. Zetkin was inspired by working class American women and wished to have a day that would commemorate the strength of women everywhere, as well as women’s rights.
Although at first well received, the celebration of Internationale Women’s Day began to dwindle as the decades went on and was not rekindled until the women’s movement of the 1960s.
It was during this time that women began to look back on their contributions throughout history and began to strongly feel that they too deserved acknowledgment. In March 1978, female historians took on the task of integrating the accomplishments of women into history by promoting the celebration of Women’s History Week. The week quickly grew popular, and in 1987, Congress proclaimed March as Women’s History Month.
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