Women’s History Celebration

We celebrate Women’s History Month in March, revolving around International Women’s Day, honored on March 8th. According to the National Women’s History Alliance website, “as recently as the 1970s, women’s history was virtually an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness [and] to address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration for 1978.” In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month after states already started observing the month as a time to honor and celebrate women and women’s history.

Today, people across the nation commemorate this month by learning about the leaders and activists who pioneered change, tackled critical issues, and paved the way for a better, more enjoyable life. In addition to learning about women in our history, we can support women in the present. You'll find a few suggestions on ways to support women listed below.

Ways to support women

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  Support women authors by reading books written by women
  Marin County Library Staff created a reading list, Women's History Month 2025: Moving Forward Together, with titles exploring the work of diverse women throughout history. Books on the list include A Nation of Women: An Early Feminist Speaks Out by Luisa Capetillo and When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn From Them by Julia Boorstin.

• Support women artists
  Marin County’s Stinson Beach Library is featuring the exhibit: A Sense of Light by Beulah Chang, or Fairfax Library’s Art Show: All of Nature as it Breathes by Ellery Akers, or Kathryn Whitten’s Art Exhibit at Point Reyes in March.
• Support women-owned businesses
  There may be women-owned businesses in Marin that you know and love but if you don’t, we recommend taking the time to research about the women-owned businesses around you - such as Sol Food in San Rafael, CA, created by co-owner Marisol "Sol" Hernandez.
• Watch or listen to media created by women
  Kanopy, a free movie-watching service available to you with your library card, has created a compilation of movies for Women’s History Month. To get started with Kanopy, visit our Movies page or ask a library staff member for more information on how to use this free service.
• Amplify women’s voices and ideas (and give them credit)
  The Anne T. Kent California Room is your destination for local history. You can find photos and interviews on a variety of topics, including a special collection filled with Women’s Suffrage ephemera.

How are you supporting women?

Take a moment to reflect on the choices you make every day. Who wrote the book you’re reading? Who directed the show you’re watching? Are you listening to music created or performed by women? Who owns the restaurant where you bought your lunch? Does the organization you last donated to have women in leadership or support women’s causes?

When was the last time you considered a woman’s experiences—her health, career path, or responsibilities at home and in the community?

If you’re already making intentional choices to support women, thank you. Every decision, big or small, shapes the future. If you see an opportunity to uplift women, take it. The actions we take today shape the history of tomorrow.

Contributed by Daniela Leyva