Happy National Women's Day! Would you believe that this holiday has been celebrated in some capacity for 114 years?!
The very first National Women's Day was on February 28th, 1909. Theresa Makiel and other Socialist Party of America leaders arranged the event at a theater in Manhattan and thousands showed up to support. The idea caught on in Europe and the first International Women's Day the following year drew in more than 1 million people in support. In the years to follow, even though World War I broke out in 1914, women continued to gather together every year to celebrate each other. March 8th was an important day in 1917 because it helped spark the Russian Revolution.
A day turned into a week in California in 1978. California schools wanted to compromise for the lack of women-focused material in the curriculum, so they had a "Women's History Week," complete with celebrations and a parade. The idea caught on and then President Jimmy Carter recognized Women's History Month for the first time.
By 1986, the whole month was dedicated to women and became a federal fixture.
Source: Mental Floss
Photo: Getty Images