Girl Power: Then & Now! Celebrating Women's History Month!

Since the beginning of time, women have held a major role in American history.? Historically, in years past, many of the contributions and accomplishments made by women were largely ignored or omitted by popular U.S. culture. Whether it was widely recognized, or not, many women have had leadership as well as supporting roles in every industry there is or ever was. That said, in celebration of March being Women's History Month, it's important to take a look at why this month is necessary.

Let's first define what Women's History Month is all about. Women's History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. This month for women is celebrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Did you know? Women's History Month started out as a week-long celebration in 1978. President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring Women's History Week as the week of March 8th. It took almost a decade for the week to become designated as a month. In 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as “Women’s History Month.”

Through decades of fighting for equality in America, women have had to persevere for reform in policies, and laws to protect themselves and gain rights that men already had. According to the U.S. Archives, congress passed the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution giving women the right to vote on June 4, 1919. However, it wasn’t until August 18, 1920, that the amendment was ratified which guaranteed all American women the right to vote. Unfortunately, it would still be more than 45 years before Black women in America, would be permitted to freely exercise their right to vote. It wasn’t until the Civil Rights Act of 1965, that African Americans were allowed to vote including Black women. Even though American women were faced with this type of inequality, women have still triumphed in many areas.

The following are three important areas where women have made considerable contributions to American history. These important areas include education, business, and technology. Highlighted in this article, you will find trailblazing, notable?women leaders from diverse backgrounds in each of these important areas. For the purposes of brevity, I’ll be highlighting one woman in memoriam and one modern-day woman in each category. Please READ ON...

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EDUCATION

Mary McLeod Bethune (In Memoriam 1875 -1955)

Mary McLeod Bethune was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil rights, activist. She was also known as “The First Lady of The Struggle” because of her commitment to building better livelihoods for African Americans through education. She started a private school for African American students in Daytona Beach, Florida, which later became Bethune-Cookman University. ?Because of their education, Black graduates from BCU were able to get better jobs.

After her work on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential campaign in 1932, she was appointed to Roosevelt’s Black Cabinet, the first of several political changes to come.

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Susan Hockfield Ph.D. (In Modern Day)

Susan Hockfield is an American neuroscientist who served as the sixteenth president and first female president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Hockfield expanded MIT’s international education and research activities by developing technology and partnerships with other institutions.?She launched MITx and partnered with Harvard University to launch edX. Her approach to education helped MIT broaden its impact on students and universities worldwide.

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BUSINESS

Coco Chanel (In Memoriam, 1883 -1971)

Her brand and her name are still relevant in business today. The fact that Coco Chanel is still a relevant brand in 2022 is a testament to the fact that she changed the fashion world and blazed a trail for women entrepreneurs in the 20th century. During her life and even in death, she is cemented in history as one of the most iconic brands in the fashion industry. The Coco Chanel brand is plastered on billboards, magazines, and advertising all over the USA and the world.

So, who was Coco Chanel? She was born Gabrielle Chanel and earned the name Coco during a brief stint as a singer. In 1910, she opened her first millinery; in 1913, her first boutique. As her business took the fashion industry by storm, she continued to design clothing?that changed the way women dressed forever. She invented the shoulder handbag to replace handheld purses; popularized women’s trousers, the stylish but comfortable “little black dress,” and accessories such as costume jewelry and perfume. Women across the country fell in love with Chanel’s elegant but simple style and ditched corsets for a more comfortable and practical wardrobe. By 1919, her brand reached worldwide notoriety.

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Morgan DeBaun (Modern Day)

Morgan DeBaun is an African American serial entrepreneur and corporate advisor. She is the Founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., the leading digital media company for Black culture and millennials. Under her leadership the company has become a leader for Black media, reaching over 100 million readers per month through a growing brand portfolio which includes: Blavity News, 21Ninety, AfroTech, Travel Noire, Shadow & Act, and Lunchtable.

With DeBaun at the helm, Blavity has launched several leading consumer summits, including Summit 21 for Black women creators, and AfroTech, the largest tech conference for Black innovators and founders. DeBaun acts as an advisor to major global brands and companies including Disney, American Airlines, CES, Pantora Bridal, and Rosen Skincare. She is also an angel investor in Golde, a consumer brand present in over 200 stores, and Public, which has a $1B+ valuation.

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TECHNOLOGY

?Annie Easley (In Memoriam 1933-2011)

Annie Easley was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist.?After her graduation from high school as valedictorian, she applied for and was hired as one of only four African-American employees at NACA (now NASA) and began her career doing calculations for researchers. She later received her B.S. in Mathematics from Cleveland State University. When human computers were replaced by actual computers, she became a computer programmer for NASA’s Centaur rocket project which set the technological stage for the Space Shuttle. Her work also paved the way for the development of modern hybrid cars. In the 1970s, she finally earned her mathematics degree from Cleveland State. A firm believer in education, she participated in school tutoring programs to encourage female and minority students to pursue STEM careers.

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Katrina Lake (In Modern Day)

Katrina Lake is an American businesswoman who is the Founder and former CEO of Stitch Fix, a fashion-based subscription service. Stitch Fix was established in 2011 in San Francisco and went public in 2017.?Lake became the youngest woman to take a company public in 2017, at age 34, and was the only woman that year to lead an initial public offering in technology.

Women's History Month is necessary to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of women because women have historically been marginalized in the USA. ?There are so many women who have made incredible contributions to American history and made a global impact. If one were to compile a list of every woman who was or is making a difference in the world, it would be a series of anthologies rather than one article. As you can see from this shortlist, women have made and are making a huge mark on American history.

Finally, my advice is to never underestimate girl power. If there is a problem, give it to a woman, or a group of women, chances are they will find a solution. There is no limit to what a driven, passionate, smart, and determined woman or girl can do. So when Women's History Month rolls around every March, find a woman you admire and tell her to keep going because Girl Power Rocks!

This article was written by Lori A. Manns , President of Quality Media Consultant Group and Trailblazing Business Strategist and Sales Coach. Connect with Lori on Linkedin. Join her email list here, https://www.qualitymediaconsultants.com.

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