Patsy T. Mink: “Mr. Speaker, as we ask this House to recognize Women's History Month, I think it is important to know how this whole…”

“Mr. Speaker, as we ask this House to recognize Women's History Month, I think it is important to know how this whole project began. In 1970 women's history was a very fledgling idea. It was started by the Education Task Force of Sonoma County, California. A Commission on the Status of Women was initiated and they put together a Women's History Week for that county. Our colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), told me early on of her participation in establishing and recognizing this week. There were many projects that people participated in. Finally, in 1979, the director of the Sonoma County Commission established a Women's History Institute, and from there it grew and grew until March of 1980 when President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential message to the American people encouraging the recognition and celebration of women's history all throughout America. And so, from that point of March 1980, the recognition of women's history week at that time was part of the national agenda.”