Women's History Month 2025

March is Women's History Month, and we invite you to observe the achievements of women in U.S. history. This year’s theme highlights women who have dedicated their lives to educating, mentoring, and leadership. Read President Donald Trump's remarks in this year's Women's History Month Proclamation.

In 1980, in conjunction with International Women's Day, President Jimmy Carter asked Americans to celebrate women's historical accomplishments. In 1981, Congress passed Public Law 97-28 designating the week beginning March 7, 1982 as "Women's History Week," and in 1987, Public Law 100-9 expanded it to a month-long national time of celebration and recognition. Search GovInfo to see joint resolutions recognizing March as "Women's History Month" and Presidential proclamations that celebrate contributions and achievements women have made to the United States.

This year, we spotlight the contributions of Martha Griffiths, also known as the "Mother of the Equal Rights Amendment." She spent much of her life in politics, crusading for women's rights, and played an essential role in supporting the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Congress.

In 1940, Martha Griffins graduated from the University of Missouri Law School, and in 1946, she opened her law practice. In 1948 and 1950, she won a seat in the Michigan legislature. She lost her first attempt at running for the U.S. Congress in 1952, but in 1954, she ran again and won a seat in the House of Representatives, where she served on many committees.

During her time in Congress, she repeatedly introduced equal rights legislation. However, her bills failed to receive votes for many years. In 1971, her attempt to pass the Equal Rights Amendment successfully passed both the House and Senate. It did not become part of the Constitution then because only 35 out of 38 needed state approval votes were received. In 1974, Griffiths did not seek reelection, but she remained in the political arena before returning to practicing law. She returned in 1976 as the Chair of the Rules Committee for the Democratic National Convention, and in 1982, became Michigan’s first female elected lieutenant governor on a ticket with Michigan Representative James Johnston Blanchard. In 1993 she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. She died of pneumonia at her home in Armanda, Michigan, on April 22, 2003. In 2005, the University of Missouri–Columbia established the Griffiths Leadership Society in her honor to promote the education and growth of undergraduates and alumnae. Source: United States House of Representatives

Learn about Martha Griffiths' congressional career in H. Doc. 116-152 - Women in Congress 1917 - 2020.

See S. Doc. 117-12 - Fourteenth Amendment - Equal Protection and Other Rights in the Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation (CONAN). CONAN encompasses the U.S. Constitution and analysis and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution with in-text annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court.

Additional Article Sources and Resources

• Learn more about Martha Griffiths and the history of the Equal Rights Amendment on the National Archive's website.
• Explore the American Women: Resources from the Manuscript Collections from the Library of Congress. Included are hundreds of documents reflecting the full range of women's experiences in history.
• Join the Smithsonian Institution in celebrating Women's History Month by exploring events, resources, podcast episodes, and exhibitions that tell a diversity of women's stories.