| R 134 |
| 2025 -- H 6023 Enacted 03/04/2025 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING MARCH OF 2025, TO BE "WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Cotter, Carson, Spears, Donovan, Speakman, Boylan, Shallcross Smith, Chippendale, Shekarchi, and Blazejewski |
| Date Introduced: March 04, 2025 |
| WHEREAS, The year 2025 marks the 38th annual celebration of National Women's |
| History Month; and |
| WHEREAS, During March 6-12 of 1978, the very first unofficial "National Women's |
| History Week" was celebrated in Santa Rosa, California, by the Sonoma County Commission on |
| the Status of Women's Education Task Force, including International Women's Day on March |
| 8th; and |
| WHEREAS, On July 14-29, 1979, Nancy Rose Foye-Cox, now of Richmond, Rhode |
| Island, and Deborah N. Pearlman, Ph.D, now of Providence, were two of 52 participants in the |
| "Summer Institute in Women's History" at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, |
| representing 37 national women's organizations, who called for the first ever National Women's |
| History Week in 1980, and all participants were also National Women's Month national co- |
| founders in 1987; and |
| WHEREAS, On February 28, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the very first |
| "National Women's History Week" Proclamation for the Week of March 2-8, 1980; and |
| WHEREAS, On March 12, 1987, the United States Senate and House of Representatives |
| passed a Joint Resolution, designating the first official "Women's History Month"; and |
| WHEREAS, On March 16, 1987, President Ronald Reagan signed and issued the very |
| first Presidential Proclamation designating March as "Women's History Month"; and |
| WHEREAS, Women of every race, class, and ethnic background have made historic |
| contributions to the growth and strength of our State and Nation in countless recorded and |
| unrecorded ways; and |
| WHEREAS, Women have played and continue to play critical economic, cultural, and |
| social roles in every sphere of life in Rhode Island by constituting a significant portion of the |
| labor force working inside and outside of the home; and |
| WHEREAS, Women were particularly important in the establishment of early charitable, |
| philanthropic, and cultural institutions in our State; and |
| WHEREAS, Women of every race, class, and ethnic background served as early leaders |
| in the forefront of every major social change movement and have served our country |
| courageously in all branches of the military and public safety; and |
| WHEREAS, Women have been leaders, not only in securing their own rights of suffrage |
| and equal opportunity, but also in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the |
| industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and especially the peace movement, which |
| creates a fairer and just society for all; and |
| WHEREAS, Despite these contributions, the role of women has been consistently |
| overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, culture, and the study of American history; and |
| WHEREAS, The National Women's History Month theme for 2025 is "Moving Forward |
| Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations." The National Women's History Alliance |
| (NWHA) chose this theme to honor women who have dedicated their lives to leadership, |
| education, and mentorship. This theme celebrates the influence of women who have inspired |
| generations past, present and future, and highlights the role of women in shaping society. This |
| theme also aims to honor, educate, unite and inspire communities; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims March of 2025, to be "Women's History Month" in recognition of the myriad |
| contributions of women throughout our history; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable President of the United States, |
| Donald Trump, the Honorable Governor of the State of Rhode Island, Daniel McKee, and the |
| Rhode Island Congressional Delegation. |
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| LC001816 |
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