HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-07-2019 4-a - Women's History Month 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 7, 2019
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-a
SUBJECT: Women's History Month
DEPARTMENT: Human Rights and Relations
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Annette M. Moore, 919-245-2317
PURPOSE: To officially recognize March 2019 as Women's History Month in Orange County.
BACKGROUND: Celebration of Women's History Month had its roots in the socialist and labor
movements in New York City. The first "Women's Day" took place on February 28, 1909. The
day honored the one year anniversary of the garment worker's strikes that had taken place in
New York, where thousands of women marched for economic rights. That strike followed
another strike that occurred in 1857 when garment workers marched for equal rights and 10-
hour work days. Within two years the event grew into an international event. In 1975, the
United Nations officially began International Women's Day; which will be celebrated on March
8t" this year.
At the inception of Women's History Month, feminists in the United States saw the designation
of the month as a way to celebrate a history that had largely overlooked the contributions of
women in America. Women's History Month has its origins as a national celebration in 1981
when Congress authorized and requested President Jimmy Carter proclaim the week beginning
March 7, 1982 as "Women's History Week." In 1987, the Women's History Month Project
petitioned congress to designate the month of March as "Women's History Month." President
Ronald Reagan was the first president to proclaim March as Women's History Month.
Currently, local, state and federal governments annually proclaim March as "Women's History
Month." Each year the National Women's History Project declares a theme. The 2019 theme is
"Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence."
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this proclamation.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to
this item:
• GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND
INEQUITY
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color;
religious or philosophical beliefs; sex, gender or sexual orientation; national origin or
ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic
status.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the Proclamation.
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, women of every culture, class, and ethnic background have made historic
contributions to the growth and strength of our Nation in countless recorded and unrecorded
ways; and
WHEREAS, women have driven humanity toward a path of a more equal and just society,
contributing in innumerable ways to our Nations character and progress as a people; and
WHEREAS, in the face of discrimination and undue hardship, women have never given up
on the promise of America that with hard work and determination nothing is out of their reach
even though for so long women were formally excluded from full participation in our society and
democracy; and
WHEREAS, women not only led the movement to secure their own rights of suffrage and
equal opportunity, but also were leaders in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation
movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and especially the peace
movement, all movements to create a fairer, more inclusive and progressive society; and
WHEREAS, because of the courage of so many bold women who dared to transcend
preconceived expectations and prove they were capable of doing all that a man could do and
more, advances were made, discoveries revealed, barriers were broken and progress
triumphed; and
WHEREAS, women have made great progress toward achieving gender equality but
much work needs to done while women still earn, on average, less for every dollar earned by a
man, are underrepresented in fields of science, technology, engineering and math, and face
wider opportunity gaps and structural barriers to achieving success;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Board of Commissioners of Orange County, North Carolina
do hereby proclaim March 2019 as "Women's History Month" and commend this observance
to Orange County residents and call upon Orange County residents to celebrate International
Women's Day on March 8, 2019, with appropriate programs, celebrations and activities.
THIS THE 7rh DAY OF MARCH, 2019.
Penny Rich, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners