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History
On March 8, 1917 Russian women walked out of homes and factories to protest the suffering that they had endured dealing with food shortages, inflation and the world war. Subsequently, in honor of the role women played in the Russian Revolution, March 8 became known as International Women's Day in which women's history was celebrated throughout the socialist world. In the 1960s, interest grew throughout the rest of the world to celebrate International Women's Day, and March 8 became the date for such celebrations outside of socialist nations.
In the United States, in 1978, the Education Task force of the Commission on the Status of Women in Sonoma County, California established a Women's History Week celebration that centered around that year's International Women's Day. In 1981, the National Women's History Project lobbied for a National Women's History week celebration. Later that year, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women's History Week. In 1987, the National Women's History Project, with support from women's organizations, museums, libraries and educators throughout the country, again lobbied Congress urging the establishment of Women's History Month. The resolution establishing March as National Women's History Month was quickly passed with strong support in both Houses of Congress. Commencing in 1992, a Presidential Proclamation has been issued every year directing the beginning of Women's History Month.
WHM in Canada
In 1976, Canada created the Status of Women Canada (SWC), a department within its federal government whose mission is to promote gender equality and the participation of women in all aspects of Canadian life.
Women's History Month has been celebrated in Canada annually every October since 1992. They celebrate Women's History Month in October in commemoration of the October 18, 1929 decision allowing women to become members of the Senate of Canada. Before 1929, the British North America Act (BNA) of 1867 excluded women from being considered as persons "in matters of rights and privileges." The battle for Canadian women to be considered as persons under the BNA was denied all the way up through the Supreme Court of Canada. However, on appeal to the Privy Council in England, which was the highest court of appeal for Canada at the time, the lower court's decision was reversed, allowing women to hold public office.