National Women’s History Month was established by presidential proclamation in order to draw attention to and improve the focus on women in historical studies. It began in New York City on March 8, 1857, when female textile workers marched in protest of unfair working conditions and unequal rights for women. It was one of the first organized strikes by working women, during which they called for a shorter work day and decent wages. Also on March 8, in 1908, women workers in the needle trades marched through New York City’s Lower East Side to protest child labor, sweatshop working conditions, and demand women’s suffrage.

Beginning in 1910, March 8 became annually observed as International Women’s Day. Women’s History Week was instituted in 1978 in an effort to begin adding women’s history into educational curricula. In 1987, the National Women’s History Project successfully petitioned Congress to include all of March as a celebration of the economic, political and social contributions of women. The percentage of women decreased from 2019 to 2020 in food service, counter and rental clerk jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. However, the percentage of women increased in select other occupations, such as teachers, financial managers, bartenders, pharmacists, veterinarians, scientists, chief executives, clergies and construction managers. Pay remains higher for men than women in comparable jobs, however, over the past 12 months. These jobs include registered nurses, pharmacy technicians, real estate brokers, graphic designers, judges, investigators, software developers and farmers.