When the first graduate program in women’s history was started in 1972 at Sarah Lawrence College, its founder, Dr. Gerda Lerner said, “When I started working on women’s history the field did not exist. Men didn’t think that women had a history worth knowing.” 

Some men still don’t, even more so when it comes to the history of women of color, who too often have been left out of the history lessons learned in schools.  But NOW is here to push back against ignorance, intolerance and discrimination, and to celebrate the historic accomplishments, achievements and contributions of women.  

As we begin the celebration of Women’s History Month this March, we are mindful, grateful, and appreciative of the women on whose shoulders we stand, and whose strength lifts us all up. We know that not all trailblazers are famous names. The daily work of democracy calls upon all of us to defend our rights and fight for our freedoms.  Part of NOW’s mission is to uplift all of those who work tirelessly, against tremendous odds, on behalf of women’s rights. 

That’s why all this month, NOW will be highlighting #WomanHeroes across our social media channels. We’ll be spotlighting champions like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a feminist author born and raised in Nigeria who draws inspiration from Nigerian history and tragedies. Her TED talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” focuses on the problems of creating a single narrative to represent humankind and the stereotypes that go along with it.   

Of course, women’s history is still being made—we are writing it with our protests, grassroots organizing, issue campaigns, media activism and other work. As we have recognized in our listening series with Black Women’s Blueprint, we are still fighting to heal from centuries of oppression, and our work is not yet done   

As I mentioned in my earlier statement, we have plenty of historic achievements in women’s history that we can celebrate from this past year alone.  And as women continue to break even more barriers, NOW will continue to celebrate and uplift them, not just this month, but every single day of the year.