The National Women's History Month 2024 theme recognizes and celebrates "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion." Women's History Month started out as Women's History Week in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978. The week first fell around the established date of March 8 as International Women's Day, and since 1987, March has been designated National Women's History Month.

Women advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion recognize that true progress requires dismantling systems of oppression and creating spaces where all individuals are valued and respected. They work to ensure that all people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and backgrounds have equal opportunities.

Despite facing discrimination and barriers to recognition, women artists have used their creative talents to challenge stereotypes, amplify marginalized voices, and reshape cultural narratives. Photographers Vivian Maier, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Dorothea Lange, Mary Ellen Mark, and Marylin Nance are among the featured artists in the Library's collection this month. These photographers found humanity in a diverse range of subjects, and they published iconic photographs that communicated injustice or represented diverse cultures to a wide audience.

This March, stop by the Library to check out our featured collection of works by women creators, and join us in honoring the efforts of historical and contemporary women advocating for equity, diversity and inclusion.