The Women’s History Month theme for 2001 is “Celebrating Women of Courage and Vision.”

BY MELISSA BREEDLOVE: Staff Writer

March is Women's History Month which is a time to remember the contributions women have made to our heritage and history.

It is also a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions that women have made througout history and a time to reflect how the world and society has changed for women.

For school-age girls, knowing women’s achievements expands their sense of what is possible. For all of us, the knowledge of women’s strengths and contributions builds respect and nourishes self esteem — crucial to all children and adults now, and in the years to come.

Local Exhibit

The official theme of the March 2001 celebration is “Celebrating Women of Courage and Vision.”

Locally, an exhibit, “This Is Woman’s Hour” at the Sandhills Community College Library, named after late newspaperwoman Katharine L. Boyd, is on display until March 22. The library is open to the public.

The exhibit shares the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month and offers research and commentary about elements that are important in women’s lives nowadays including how women connect with other women and the community, multi-tasking and also how women get involved and stay in control of their lives and responsiblities.

The exhibit also shows the impact of womanhood as an increasing number of women’s libraries and museums now open in the United States. A few examples include The Women’s Museum: An Institute for the Future, Dallas, Texas, Women of the West Museum, Denver, Colo., The Museum of Women: The Leadership Center, New York, the In International Museum of Women in San Francisco, Calif., the National Women’s History Museum, Washington, D.C. and The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity, Boston, Mass., opening in June of 2002.

The local exhibit centers around information about Mary Baker Eddy, mentioned above, who is the discoverer and founder of Christian Science. The exhibit also offers a timeline and information about what other women did over 100 years ago to pave the way for today’s women.

Later in April, there will be a related one-hour lecture given at the Sunrise Theater by David L. Degler, CSB of Nashville, Tenn.

The title of the lecture is: “Mary Baker Eddy-The Untold Story” on Thursday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to this lecture as well.

Other Ways to Celebrate

And Educate

The National Women’s History Project, a group based in California, began in the late ‘80s and led a coalition that successfully lobbied Congress to designate March as National Women’s History Month, now celebrated across the land.

Today, the NWHP is known nationally as the only clearinghouse providing information and training in multicultural women’s history for educators, community organizations, and parents-for anyone wanting to expand their understanding of women contributions to U. S. history.

The NWHP suggests celebrating women’s history in many ways at home or at school by hosting a “Who Am I” party and inviting guests to dress as their favorite woman from history or simply by watching or reading a biography of an influential woman.

The NWHP is hosting a national celebration on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23 in Washington, D.C. at The Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.