The 2023 theme for Womenâs History Month honors and recognizes women who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art and news and all forms of media as well as women who have helped to reshape American history that largely neglected womenâs achievements.
The 2023 theme for Women’s History Month honors and recognizes women who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art and news and all forms of media as well as women who have helped to reshape American history that largely neglected women’s achievements.
Storytelling traditions have been a part of many cultures and have passed from generations to generations. All women have a story to tell. We celebrate and honor the many contributions of women to history, culture and society.
Highlighting women who tell stories: 1. Joy Harjo (1951 to present) – Written poetry books, plays, memoirs and children’s books. An American Sunrise is a collection of poems about the Mvskoke people. She is the first Native American to serve as Poet Laureate for the United States and served three times.
2. Toni Morrison (1939 to 2019) – American novelist and essayist, Toni Morrison is the first Black woman in history to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. One of the most celebrated authors in the world, Morrison received national acclaim for her book “Song of Solomon,” which went on to win the National Black Critics Circle Award. Morrison later won the Pulitzer Prize for her book “Beloved,” was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.
3. Lily Ledbetter (1968 to present) – A powerful activist for women’s pay equality, Lily Ledbetter filed suit in 1998 against Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., her former employer, due to being paid significantly lower than her male colleagues. The court went on to rule against her in 2007, claiming the suit had to be brought within six months of the discrimination occurring. She fought back, making the case that she hadn’t discovered the discrepancy until several years later. Her story caught the attention of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who helped enact The Lily Ledbetter Fair Play Act.
4. Jenny Zhang (1983 to present) – A writer, poet and essayist, her books explore different perspectives on current and sensitive topics including identity, extreme poverty, sexual assault and the immigrant experience. She was born in Shanghai and raised in New York City.
5. Wilma Mankiller (1945 to 2010) – An activist and the first woman elected chief of a major Native American tribe, she served as chief of the Cherokee Nation for 10 years. She founded the Community Development Department of the Cherokee Nation.
6. Clara Barton (1821 to 1912) – Clara Barton was an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She is one of the most recognized of the American Civil War. She risked her life to bring supplies and support to wounded soldiers during the Civil War, earning the title “Angel of the Battlefield.”
7. Delores Huerta (1930 to present) – Delores Huerta is a labor activist and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, now the United Farm Workers. She has advocated for immigrant and Latino rights in the United States. Huerta also served as honorary co-chair for the women’s March on Washington.
8. Maya Angelou (1928 to 2014) – On April 4, 1928, Marguerite Annie Johnson, known to the world as Maya Angelou, was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya Angelou was an American memoirist, popular poet and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry and is credited with a list of plays, movies and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary awards. Some of her famous poems are: And Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning and Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women.
