As March comes to an end and the snow melts, I remember that this month celebrates the women of history. There have been many women in my life that have made an impact on me, including my mother, grandmother, sisters and aunts, but there are other women that did amazing things to make this world a better place.

Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton presented an amendment to Congress in 1878 that would give women the right to vote. This amendment would not go into effect until 1920, as described in  “Not for Ourselves Alone” by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns. There is a monument in Central Park honoring these two ladies and Sojourner Truth.

“Who Was Clara Barton?” by Stephanie Spinner tells how Barton founded the American Red Cross and was the first president of the organization. She was also a nurse during the Civil War at the Battle of Antietam.

Amelia Earhart was the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic. “Whatever Happened to Amelia Earhart?” by Melinda Blau tells about this and other aspects of Earhart’s life, including the disappearance of her and her navigator Fred Noonan over the Central Pacific Ocean in 1937.

The book “Harriet Tubman: the Life and the Life Stories” by Jean M. Humez shares with us how Tubman escaped slavery in 1849 and her accomplishments with the Underground Railroad and the Civil War. 

Sally Ride was the first American woman to go to outer space. Sally Ride and Susan Okie answer many questions people ask astronauts in the book, “To Space and Back”. Sally also talks about her own experiences as an astronaut.    

“Jeannette Rankin” by Trish Marx tells about the life and times of Montanan Jeannette Rankin who would become the first lady in Congress.

You can find these items and many more about the women of history here at the Lewistown Public Library. March is National Women’s History Month, but we can read about these ladies all the time. Come on in and pick one out today.