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Women's History Month
Mar. 5th, 2002 09:58 amThe Diversity Council at *Company* is inviting all employees to celebrate 'Women's History Month' throughout the month of March.
Prior to 1970, women's history was rarely the subject of serious study. "Only one or two scholars would have identified themselves as women's historians and no formal doctoral training in the subject was available anywhere in the country" says historian Mary Beth Norton. Since then, however, the field has undergone a positive transformation. Today, most colleges offer women's history courses and many major graduate programs offer doctoral degrees in the field.
The Women's Movement
Two factors have contributed to the increased recognition of women's history. The women's movement of the 1960's prompted women to question their invisibility in traditional American history texts. The movement not only raised the aspirations of women and created opportunities for women, but also produced a growing number of female historians. Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, one of the pioneers in her field, has remarked that "without question, our first inspiration was political. Aroused by feminist charges of economic and political discrimination….we turned to our history to trace the origins of women's second-class status."
New Social History
In addition, women's history was part of the larger movement that transformed the study of history in the United States. "History" had traditionally been defined as political history---a chronicle of the key political events and/or the leaders, primarily men, who influenced them. But, by the 1970's "the new social history" began replacing the older style. Emphasis shifted to a broader spectrum of American life, including such topics as the history of urban life, public health, ethnicity, the media and poverty. The new history, with its emphasis on the sociological and the ordinary, was an ideal vehicle for presenting women's history.
The new history has covered such subjects as the history of women's education, birth control, housework, marriage, sexuality and child rearing. As the field grew, women's historians realized that their definition of history needed to expand as well. It had focused primarily on white middle-class experience and neglected the full racial and socio-economic spectrum of women. As a result, Women's History Month will be included as part of the "International Women's Day" celebration taking place on March 8, 2002.
Web Sites Related to Women's History Month
National Women's History Project
http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html
list of related links: http://www.nwhp.org/tlp/links/links.html#indepth
Reference works from the Women's History Museum
http://www.nmwh.org/home/refchart.htm
National Museum of Women in the Arts
http://www.nmwa.org/
The history channel—highlighting women's history the whole month of March
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/
Prior to 1970, women's history was rarely the subject of serious study. "Only one or two scholars would have identified themselves as women's historians and no formal doctoral training in the subject was available anywhere in the country" says historian Mary Beth Norton. Since then, however, the field has undergone a positive transformation. Today, most colleges offer women's history courses and many major graduate programs offer doctoral degrees in the field.
The Women's Movement
Two factors have contributed to the increased recognition of women's history. The women's movement of the 1960's prompted women to question their invisibility in traditional American history texts. The movement not only raised the aspirations of women and created opportunities for women, but also produced a growing number of female historians. Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, one of the pioneers in her field, has remarked that "without question, our first inspiration was political. Aroused by feminist charges of economic and political discrimination….we turned to our history to trace the origins of women's second-class status."
New Social History
In addition, women's history was part of the larger movement that transformed the study of history in the United States. "History" had traditionally been defined as political history---a chronicle of the key political events and/or the leaders, primarily men, who influenced them. But, by the 1970's "the new social history" began replacing the older style. Emphasis shifted to a broader spectrum of American life, including such topics as the history of urban life, public health, ethnicity, the media and poverty. The new history, with its emphasis on the sociological and the ordinary, was an ideal vehicle for presenting women's history.
The new history has covered such subjects as the history of women's education, birth control, housework, marriage, sexuality and child rearing. As the field grew, women's historians realized that their definition of history needed to expand as well. It had focused primarily on white middle-class experience and neglected the full racial and socio-economic spectrum of women. As a result, Women's History Month will be included as part of the "International Women's Day" celebration taking place on March 8, 2002.
Web Sites Related to Women's History Month
National Women's History Project
http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html
list of related links: http://www.nwhp.org/tlp/links/links.html#indepth
Reference works from the Women's History Museum
http://www.nmwh.org/home/refchart.htm
National Museum of Women in the Arts
http://www.nmwa.org/
The history channel—highlighting women's history the whole month of March
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/
