WASHINGTON — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to celebrate our nation’s women service members, veterans and countless other selfless contributors to the United States throughout the month of March, Women’s History Month.
With women being integral to every facet of American life, it’s surprising the nation has only been officially celebrating women’s history for 41 years. In 1981, Congress passed a joint resolution Public Law 97-28, designating “Women’s History Week” beginning March 7, 1982, to recognize and celebrate “American women of every race, class and ethnic background” whose roles and contributions had been “consistently overlooked and undervalued in the body of American History.” Authorized and requested by the law, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring Women’s History Week and called on the people of the United States to mark the observance with ceremonies and activities.
Within a few years, 14 states had already expanded the week-long commemoration to the entire month of March. Finally in 1987, President Ronald Reagan signed the newly passed Public Law 100-9 designating the month of March as Women’s History Month. Since then, every American president, Democrat and Republican, has issued proclamations. The 2023 White House proclamation on Women’s History Month can be found here.
The VFW salutes all women service members, veterans and unsung heroes for their indelible contributions to our freedom and our way of life.