Women’s History Month: Nellie Bly
In the late 1800s, women reporters were rare. Even if a newspaper had a female reporter on staff, she would often be given assignments labeled “women’s interests”–such as fashion, gardening, or social events. Nellie Bly was not such a woman. She was fearless in her reporting and pushed to write impactful stories. Bly’s innovative investigative […]
Women’s History Month: Margaret Booth, Pioneering Film Editor
Women were firmly established in the film editing industry for more than a century before Jennifer Lame won the 2024 Academy Award for Film Editing of the movie Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer is 181 minutes long. That is 11 miles long of movie film that weighs 650 pounds. However, digital software has made editing film much easier […]
Women’s History Month: Women Airforce Service Pilots
At the height of World War II, more than 1,000 women volunteered for U.S. military jobs that women had never held. They were aviation pioneers who made significant contributions to support the United States and its Allied partners in the war. Called to Serve The United States entered World War II on December 8, 1941. […]
Women’s History Month: Misty Copeland
Every year since 1995, the sitting president of the United States has proclaimed the month of March as Women’s History Month. The National Women’s History Alliance chooses the annual theme. The 2024 theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” Women who have taken the lead to work for these values are honored […]
Eliza Jane Nicholson: First Woman to Publish a Major Newspaper
Eliza Jane Nicholson was the first woman in the United States to own a major newspaper. Born Eliza Jane Poitevent, she started working in 1870 as the literary editor of the Picayune, a daily newspaper in New Orleans, Louisiana. During this time, New Orleans was the largest city in the South. It was common for […]
Women’s History Month: Celebrating American Quilters
Quilting is an art form that involves sewing together different pieces of fabric to create patterns. Throughout American history, women have used quilting to support political and social causes while helping to heal the nation during times of crises. Women quilters have communicated their views in their quilted pieces, even when they did not have […]
Women’s History Month: Carol Moseley Braun
Have you ever heard of Carol Moseley Braun? She served as a U.S. senator from 1993 to 1999. Braun was the first female African American elected to the U.S. Senate. Here, btw takes a closer look at her life and contributions to American politics and beyond. Early Life Carol Moseley Braun was born in Chicago, […]
Women’s History Month: A Women’s Suffrage Memorial on the National Mall
In 1920, Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which granted white women the right to vote in the United States. The journey to get there was long and difficult–and often unrecognized. But that’s about to change, as Congress begins the process of creating a monument honoring women’s suffrage, or the right to vote, on […]
Women’s History Month: Remembering Judy Heumann
Women’s History Month is celebrated every March in the United States. This is a time to honor and celebrate women’s contributions to American history. This week btw takes a closer look at the life and contributions of Judy Heumann, a leading disability rights activist. Heumann died on March 4, 2023, at the age of 75. […]
Women’s History Month: The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum
In December 2020, Congress approved funding for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. This museum will honor American women’s accomplishments, their histories, and the communities they represent. While the museum organization has hosted many online and in-person events and programs, the physical museum hasn’t been constructed yet. The website for the museum says that it […]