Women’s History Month 2006

We’ve all become accustomed to learning about women’s accomplishments during the yearly month-long celebration in March known as Women’s History Month, but do you know how that celebration started?

In the 1970s, there was no specific school curriculum that addressed the lack of female inclusion in U.S. history. Therefore, in 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women created a Women’s History Week.

The week of March 8 was chosen to include the already-celebrated International Women’s Day, long identified as March 8 (through general use of the Gregorian calendar, though the Julian calendar originally used identified the date as late February, for the women’s strike for “bread and peace” in 1917 Russia).

Interest grew rapidly in local school districts, and by 1981, National Women’s History Week became a designated reality by U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution.

As the whole idea grabbed the nation, school curricula changed, district by district, to include the history of women. This avalanche of interest cascaded and rested at the foot of Congress once more. In 1987, the National Women’s History Project petitioned the United States Senate and Congress to extend the week’s celebration into a full month. Each March since then, the enabling Congressional resolution continually has full bipartisan support.

The popularity of women's history celebrations over the years has sparked much interest in uncovering women's forgotten heritage. The Miller Branch Library, in its program on March 22, 2006, explored the lives of local women and honored these Jersey City heroines…or, as renowned African-American poet Maya Angelou acknowledges our celebrated men and women, “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”


Miller Branch Manager Reneé Moody introduces the program for Women’s History Month, “Our History Is Our Strength: Communities & Dreams.” Notice Library Director Priscilla Gardner pictured in the foreground.


The program commenced with a special prayer, given by Barbara Murrell, supervising library assistant at the Miller Branch.


Ellen Moss opened the program with a heartfelt poem that described and lauded her family’s ‘roses’ – including tossing rose pedals across the floor near the podium. But it was her passionate performance that brought the house down, ending with tears and love for her older sister.


Janice Murphy continued with the “evolution of her story,” as the program section was entitled.


Officer Cora Kerten of the Jersey City Police Department spoke of her successes in law enforcement and of never having thought she would be a police officer, and expressed her complete surprise at being given an award.


Rose Wooten continued the evening of inspirational stories with a story of her own.


Creating opportunities where there were none characterized the charitable work done by the Reverend Caroline Nelson, founder and director of C-line Community Outreach Service Inc., who posed with her award before having to leave the Women’s History Month program.


Guatemala-native Vilma Gomez, library page at the Miller Branch, described her life since coming to the United States.


Caring for the next generation is the constant goal of award-winner Jo-Ann Gallemore, who heads the youth ministry, Jersey City Deliverance Center.


A native of the Virgin Islands, Darnelle Richardson, program director of the Literacy Program, talked of how helping people guided her interest in staying in the U.S. beyond the two years she expected. This award-winner has now been here at the Jersey City Free Public Library Literacy Program for over five years.

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