In 1978, Women’s History Week began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The organizers selected the week of March 8th to correspond with International Women’s Day celebrated on that day. The movement spread across the country, and in February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. Subsequent Presidents continued to issue such a proclamation until 1987 when Congress officially designated March as “Women’s History Month.” Learn more about the origins of Women’s History Month here.
As PILI celebrates Women’s History Month, we want to highlight several “Trailblazers of Justice” in the Illinois legal community. These pioneers changed the legal landscape for women not only here locally in Illinois, but across the United States.
Learn more about Ada Kepley here.
Learn more about Catherine McCulloch here.
Learn more about Ellen A. Martin here.
Learn more about the Honorable Mary Ann McMorrow here.