HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-17-2015 - 4a
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ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:March 17, 2015
Action Agenda
Item No.4-a
SUBJECT:
Women’s History MonthProclamation
DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)No
Housing, Human Rights and
Community Development
ATTACHMENT(S):INFORMATION CONTACT:
ProclamationJames E. Davis, Jr., 245-2490
Doris Brunson, HRC Chair
PURPOSE:
To officially proclaim the month of Marchas “Women’s HistoryMonth” in Orange
County.
BACKGROUND:
Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981
when Congress authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March
7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week".Overthe next five years, Congress continued to approve
joint resolutions designating a week in March as "Women’s History Week”. In 1987 after being
petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress designated the month of March
1987 as “Women’s History Month”. Between 1988 and 1994, Congress approved additional
resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as
Women’s History Month. Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a
series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month”.
The Orange County Human Relations Commissionand the Orange County Library are co-
sponsoring events to honor women during Women’s History Month, including a month-long
display of books and films that highlight the achievements of women orpromote the equitable
treatment of women. There will be a special film presentation of the movie A Matter of Sexon
Saturday, March 14, 2015 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Orange County Main Library in
Hillsborough. This isa docudrama about the true story of the so-called Willmar Eight, a group
of female Minnesota bank workers who fought for equal rights. TheHuman Relations
Commission’s annual Community Read will be on Monday, March 23, 2015 from 6:00 - 8:00
p.m. at the Orange County Main Library to discuss the book Global Women: Nannies, Maids
and Sex Workers in the New Economy, by Barbara Ehrenreich. The discussion will be
facilitated by Dr. Donna Bickford, Associate Director of Undergraduate Research at UNC-
Chapel Hill. Allevents are free and opento the public.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
N.
ONE
RECOMMENDATION(S):
The Manager recommends the Board adopt the Proclamation and
authorize the Chair to sign.
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
WOMEN’S HISTORYMONTH PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Orange County Human Relations Commissionhas diligently served the
County of Orange since 1987 and is committed to promoting theequal treatment of all
individuals; and
WHEREAS, women of every race, class, and ethnic background have made historic
contributions to the growth and strength of our County in countless recorded and unrecorded
ways; and
WHEREAS, Orange County women have played and continue to play a critical
economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of the life of the County; and
WHEREAS, women of every race, class, and ethnic background served as early leaders
in the forefront of every major progressive social change movement; and
WHEREAS, women havebeen leaders, not only in securing their own rights of suffrage
and equal opportunity, but also in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the
industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and other movements, especially the peace
movement, which create a more fair and just society for all; and
WHEREAS, despite these contributions, the role of women in history has been
consistently overlooked and undervaluedin the literature, teaching and study of American
history; and
WHEREAS, womenconstitute a majority of the Orange County labor force working
inside and outside of the home; and
WHEREAS, currently, women do not receive equal pay for equal work;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County, North
WOMEN’S HISTORYMONTH
Carolina dohereby proclaim March 2015as “” in Orange
County and challenge County residents to observe this month with appropriate programs,
ceremonies, and activities.
THIS THE 17th DAY OF MARCH, 2015.
___________________________________
Earl McKee, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners