“This Women’s History Month, may we recognize the long, storied history of great women helping to realize our Nation’s founding promise and highest aspirations. May we all continue working to build a world worthy of the dreams and goals of all women and girls.” President Joseph R. Biden, March of 2024
Every March is Women’s History Month and International Women’s Month, and “The National Women’s History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women’s History Month. The 2024 theme celebrates “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” This theme recognizes women who understand the need to eliminate bias and discrimination from individuals’ lives and institutions. (History.com)
Worthy objectives, granted, but since women’s rights continue to be a confusing issue for some, we’ll see this as another month to focus on women and continue to attempt movement in areas of equality, education and safety, which better quality of life for all gendersl
For Women’s History Month this year, the Smithsonian Magazine is listening Women’s histories as told in their own diaries. The quotes included provide insight into women’s feelings about marriage, children, home life — culture, behavior an relationships.
—Sophia Tolstoy, wife of the author of War and Peace, debated whether she should stay in what had become an abusive relationship.
–In 1884, sociologist Beatrice Webb wrote on whether she should marry the rising politician Joseph Chamberlain: “I don’t know how it will all end. Certainly not in my happiness. … If I married him, I should become a cynic as regards my own mental life. I should become par excellence the mother and the woman of the world intent only on fulfilling practical duties and gaining practical ends.”
–From Edith Fry, a turn of the 19th century Quaker. She describes difficulty bonding with a baby, a common experience, but one which is not mentioned in books written about women or to women.
–“I did not experience that joy some women describe when my husband first brought me my little babe, little darling!” Fry wrote in 1801. “She early became a subject for my weakness and low spirits to dwell upon, so that I almost wept when she cried; but I hope, as bodily strength recovers, strength of mind will come with it.” Smithsonian
–From Madge Preston, the Civil War women’s entries: April 1865, Diary entry “Abraham Lincoln, the would be President of the U.S., was assassinated this night at the Theatre in Washington. This year, this day is Good Friday.”
–From Mary Briggs Brooke, April 1865, “A sad day of absorbing interest and distress, we cannot withdraw our minds one moment from the shocking calamity which has burst so suddenly upon us. Charles went to meeting – a little after 12 noon, John Stabler came from Washington, Hannah went out to hear what one could – then after dinner walked over a little while to gather more particulars of the awful catastrophe – he says, there was the most intense excitement that he ever witnessed, all day, yesterday in Washington, the whole City was draped in mourning, every yard of black material in all the stores, was sold out to furnish it, all business was stopped & men walked the streets in tears, – Seward & his son were better, & it was thought how they might recover – Johnson was inaugurated yesterday. I hope & trust he may fill the responsible office of Chief Magistrate better than has been feared.”
–During the Victorian era, the young Marie Bashkirtseff—a Russian aristocrat and artist who died of tuberculosis at age 25—declared her ambition with an openness we might envy today. “I am my own heroine,” she famously wrote; since her diaries, when published posthumously in 1887, became a best seller.”
During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build. Throughout history, the vision and achievements of powerful women have strengthened our Nation and opened the doors of opportunity wider for all of us. Though their stories too often go untold, all of us stand on the shoulders of these sung and unsung trailblazers — from the women who took a stand as suffragists, abolitionists, and labor leaders to pioneering scientists and engineers, groundbreaking artists, proud public servants, and brave members of our Armed Forces. President Joseph R. Biden
If the issues haven’t changed, then methods must, to find that change we are seeking. Women’s History Month, 2024….
2