Anniston Army Depot

Women’s History Month: Celebrating women who tell our stories

Photo: Jacquella West, a materials expediter for Anniston Army Depot, hosted a panel of depot women March 22 to discuss ANAD’s Women’s History Month special emphasis program. They discussed challenges, obstacles and opportunities faced by women in our nation’s history, as well as their contributions and triumphs. The panel, from left to right, consists of Janet Pernell, a heavy mobile equipment mechanic; West; Geyna Hurtado, chief of the Directorate of Public Works’ Logistics Division; Lauren Wills, equal employment opportunity specialist; and Glenda Reaves, maintenance management specialist.


By: Denise G Wilson | ANAD EEO

The 2023 Women’s History Month theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." This recognizes "women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media."

Why Do We Celebrate Women’s History Month?

The actual celebration of Women’s History Month grew out of a weeklong celebration of women’s contributions to culture, history and society organized by the school district of Sonoma, California, in 1978. Presentations were given at dozens of schools, hundreds of students participated in a “Real Woman” essay contest and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa.
Women’s History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams imploring her husband to “remember the ladies” when envisioning a government for the American colonies, to suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fighting for women's right to vote. The rise of feminism and Hillary Clinton becoming the first female nominee for president by a major political party. American women have long fought for equal footing throughout the nation’s history.
While some glass ceilings have been shattered, others remain. But progress continues to be made. As Clinton said while accepting her nomination, “When there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit.”

Timeline of notable events in U.S. Women’s History from the 18th Century to the 21st Century

March 31, 1776: Abigail Adams was one of the first advocates of women's equal education and women's property rights. Adams had strong feelings about marriage and believed women should take more part in decisions rather than simply serve their husbands. She stated her concerns to her husband in a letter, “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a Rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice or Representation.”
July 19-20, 1848: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, along with Lucretia Mott, held the first Woman’s Rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York. Stanton authored, “The Declaration of Sentiments,” which expanded on the Declaration of Independence by adding the word “woman” or “women” throughout. This pivotal document called for social and legal changes to elevate women’s place in society and listed 18 grievances from the inability to control their wages and property or the difficulty in gaining custody in divorce to the lack of the right to vote. October 16, 1916: Margaret Sanger opens the first birth control clinic in the United States. Located in Brownsville, Brooklyn, her clinic was deemed illegal under the “Comstock Laws” forbidding birth control, and the clinic was raided on October 26, 1916.
May 20-21, 1932: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman, and second pilot ever (Charles Lindbergh) was first to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic.
Sept. 20, 1973: In “The Battle of the Sexes,” tennis great Billie Jean King beats Bobby Riggs in straight sets during an exhibition match aired on primetime TV and drawing 90 million viewers. “I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match,” King says after the match. “It would ruin the women’s (tennis) tour and affect all women’s self-esteem.”
July 7, 1981: Sandra Day O’Connor is sworn in by President Ronald Reagan as the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. She retires in 2006, after serving for 24 years.
June 18, 1983: Flying on the Space Shuttle Challenger, Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space.
Jan. 4, 2007: U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) becomes the first female speaker of the House. In 2019, she reclaims the title, becoming the first lawmaker to hold the office two times in more than 50 years.
Jan. 24, 2013: The U.S. military removes a ban against women serving in combat positions.
July 26, 2016: Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman to receive a presidential nomination from a major political party. During her speech at the Democratic National Convention, she says, “Standing here as my mother's daughter, and my daughter's mother, I'm so happy this day has come.”
January 20, 2021: Kamala Harris is sworn in as the first woman and first woman of color vice president of the United States. "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," Harris said after getting elected in November.


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