Within Women’s History Month of March is International Women’s Day. Each year this is held on 8 March.
The first International Women’s Day began in 1911 – the same year that the Society of Genealogists was founded. It was celebrated in Australia, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland, attended by men and women.
Inspired by a growing social movement, including the Bread and Roses campaign of the same year, the day was a culmination of years of women campaigning for equality.
After women marched in New York City in 1908 campaigning for shorter hours, better pay, and voting rights, the following year the first National Women’s Day was celebrated on the last Sunday in February. And in 1910, at a women’s conference held in Copenhagen, the Leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany, Clara Zekin, suggested there be an International Women’s Day every year dedicated towards women’s equality.
Today, International Women’s Day is not country, group or organisation specific. While it remains an opportunity for women’s activism, it is also a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. International Women’s Day now involves talks, marches, conferences, fun runs, concerts, festivals, and online gatherings celebrating not only women living now, but also inspiring women from the past
In 2014, the event was celebrated in London with a march organised by the great-granddaughter of Emmeline and granddaughter of Sylvia, women’s rights activist Helen Pankhurst. The day also involved a tour of a suffragette exhibition in London’s Tate Britain. One of the highlights of the events was meeting the performers who had marched as suffragettes in Danny Boyle’s memorable opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Another highlight was seeing the paintings of Sylvia Pankhurst, a remarkable individual in her own right, and daughter of Emmeline Pankhurst. Sylvia’s art was exhibited amongst suffragette memorabilia, including this striking tea set. These Olympic suffragettes continue to participate in the annual International Women’s Day Walk in London under CARE’s Walk In Her Shoes Campaign. And they still maintain the spirit of the suffragette motto: “deeds not words”.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias:
“Imagine a gender equal world.
A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.” IWS 2022
For family historians, International Women’s Day offers us the perfect opportunity to explore the lives of our women ancestors – be they suffragettes, social activists, or artists. Can you find any women in your family tree who broke the bias of the period in which they lived? We would love to hear about them. Please do get in touch and let us know!
Sources
International Women’s Day website https://www.internationalwomensday.com
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