MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

 

Women’s History Month 

By Annika Noel

March 2023

March is Women’s History Month! Because the month is coming to a close, here is some more information about what Women’s History Month means and what you can do around the school and area if you want to be more involved in women’s issues. 

Women’s History Month began in 1987 and it is a celebration of the contributions that women make and have made to the world which have historically been ignored or been hard won. This is usually expressed by highlighting historical women and important women now who have done amazing things. It is also a time for education about the historical battles women have fought to get increased rights like learning about the Suffragettes and the Women’s Liberation Movement. March also has International Women’s Day which celebrates women on a global scale on the 8th. 

The Girl Up Club at SHS hopes to facilitate a better environment for women in Sparta and to educate them. In their own words, “Girl Up is a club devoted to facilitating critical conversations with members of our school about representation, identity, and social issues. Our goals as a club are to: Create a safe, welcoming environment that encourages girls to voice their concerns and opinions & Identify ways the club can foster positive changes in our community. New members are always welcome! Come to a meeting: every Wednesday from 2:30-3:30 pm in room 414. Join our Google Classroom for updates by using the code: onx6kpi”  The link to their website is: https://sites.google.com/students.sparta.org/girlupclub/home 

There is also the Sparta Women's Club, a nonprofit service organization for women to help their community, organize, and learn. The Junior Women's Club of Sparta is an organization that helps organize volunteering and helping the community. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan voting rights organization that was originally created for educating female voters after suffrage in the US. 

To finish off Women’s History Month, here are some remarkable women:

Clarissa Barton- the founder of the Red Cross. She was an American nurse during the Civil War and a teacher as well as one of the first women to work for the federal government when she worked for the US patent office. More Info 

Malala Yousazfai- an activist for women’s education from Pakistan. She is also a Nobel Peace Prize winner, the youngest one ever. She has been an advocate for many years and was even shot in the head in pursuit of her goals, but she survived and has been an inspiration for many since. More Info

Harriet Tubman- an escaped slave who made missions back to the South to free others. She was an integral part of the Underground Railroad and personally freed around 70 people. More Info