On March 2, 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared the first National Women’s History Week. This year,
we are celebrating 30 years of that recognition. Of course now, and as of 1987, the entire month of
March is set aside to celebrate the extraordinary contribution of women to our society. President Carter
noted in his address:
"From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended
them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung
and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength
and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.
The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is, “Writing Women Back into History.” Choose an
area of importance and women are at or near the top of influential people. For example, women are
very well represented as authors. You can probably name some female authors of books you’ve read
like J. K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Alice Sebold, and Jodi Picoult. Classsic female authors include Louisa
May Alcott, Jane Austen, Willa Cather and Virginia Woolf.
If you are a girl or a woman and you are thinking about becoming an author, you have lots of great role
models to choose from. Spend some time with the books and authors you love and try writing from
your own viewpoint. Thirty years from now your name might be held up to middle school students as a
great example of a woman who has contributed tremendously to our society.
