By: Kim Jones

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

Boy, we had one cold winter. After such a harsh winter, I will cherish spring. As the weather gets warmer, watch out for the kids playing. Also, be aware of motorcycles.

Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history. But before it was women’s history month, it was Women’s History Week, and before that it was only a day.

Did you know…

• Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California.
• Women’s History Week was first celebrated in 1978.
• The week of March 8 was selected to correspond with International Women’s Day, which has been recognized by the United Nations since 1975. It promotes women’s rights in suffrage.
• In 1980, a consortium of women’s groups and historians, led by the National Women’s History Project, successfully lobbied for national recognition. In February of 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week.
• Subsequent presidents continued to proclaim a National Women’s History Week in March until 1987, when Congress passed public law 100-9, which designated March as Women’s History Month.
• Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the president to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.
• Since 1995, each president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as Women’s History Month.
• In 1869, the Wyoming Territory was the first place to give women the right to vote. Despite that major milestone, all American women couldn’t vote until nearly a decade later, in 1965, when President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act.
• Women couldn’t get their own credit card until 1974, when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed by Congress.
• The Equal Pay Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1963, was the first piece of federal legislation to prohibit sex-based discrimination.
• Sally Ride was the first woman in space (1983).
• Dr. Mae Jamison was the first black woman to travel to space.
• Hillary Clinton was the first woman to win a major party’ nomination for president of the U.S. (2016).
• Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latino Supreme Court Justice (2009).
• Kamala Harris is the first woman and the first woman of color to serve as vice president of the U.S.
• Mathematician Katherine Johnson’s mathematical computations helped launch John Glenn into orbit and send Apollo 11 to the moon.

The theme for Women’s History Month 2025 is “Moving Forward Together! Women educating and Inspiring Generations.” This theme celebrates the collective strength, equality and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership, shaping the minds and futures of all generations.

Women’s History Month empowers young girls around the nation with courage, self-esteem and willpower to walk in our ancestors’ footsteps. Our history will also inspire current and future generations to emulate the women who laid the framework for us to succeed, to be treated equally, and be recognized in society.

To all the amazing women in my life, thank you for your inspiration, your courage, and your unwavering spirit. Let’s all celebrate Women’s History Month!

You UAW Local 659 Recreation/Women’s Committees presents an Easter Party for your kids, grandkids, all kids, on Sunday, April 6, 2025, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Come join us at UAW Local 659 Union Hall for a picture with the Easter Bunny, a movie, snacks for the kids, and the Easter Egg Hunt that will start at 2:00 p.m.

Have a happy and blessed Easter.