From the Smithsonian Institute:

We Do Declare: Women’s Voices on Independence

In this resource page from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, hear directly from women in communities across the country as they discuss the messages they received about women and money growing up, how they came to understand the notion of financial independence, and what steps they took to advance their own and other women’s economic power.

Rising to STEAM Challenges

This professional development webinar series from the Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology features educators from the National Air and Space Museum that speak about about aviation and space heroines who rose to the challenges of their fields. Afterwards, participate in a design challenge with materials from home.

Explore Design Across the United States

Get inspired by designs that have made an impact over the past 250 years from the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Musem and other Smithsonian collections. Each design represents a community, captures a unique chapter in history, or reflects shared ideals, contributing to the nation’s future.

Native Women Leading the Way: From Revolution to the Future

This digital teaching poster by the National Museum of the American Indian focuses on three Native women whose actions were historically significant during the American Revolution. Key terms and guided questions are provided to introduce the topic and support classroom discussion.

From the Jane Addams Peace Association:

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone

Nina Simone (1933-2003) was an incredibly talented jazz musician and activist. She was known for musical hits like her award-winning album “I Put a Spell On You.” She was also active in the civil rights movement, which was reflected in her music through songs like “Old Jim Crow,” which addressed the discriminatory Jim Crow laws. Similarly, her song “Four Women” discussed the racist beauty standards that Black women were expected to live up to. 

Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed The Ocean’s Biggest Secret

Marie Tharp (1920-2006) was an oceanographic cartographer who worked during a time when women were not welcome in scientific spaces. She managed to get a job at a laboratory, but it was very difficult to get her colleagues to take her work seriously. Despite this, Tharp was persistent and discovered one of the largest geographic features in the world: a deep rift valley at the very bottom of the ocean. 

She Caught the Light: Williamina Stevens Fleming: Astronomer

Williamina Steves Fleming (1857-1911) was an astronomer who was fascinated by light. Despite the discrimination she faced because she was a woman working as a scientist, she helped create a map of the universe that helped many astronomers. She cataloged more than ten thousand stars and even discovered the Horsehead Nebula, located within the constellation of Orion. 

The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America

Frances Perkins (1880-1965) was the first woman to serve on a presidential cabinet, working as the fourth Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945. She was friends with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and primarily guided the creation of policy associated with the New Deal. Perkins was interested in labor reform, and helped create Social Security, unemployment insurance, and laws around the use of child labor. 

Shirley Chisholm Dared: The Story of the First Black Woman in Congress

Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) was the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress, representing New York’s 12th congressional district. She supported both civil rights and rights for women, advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment and making it known that Black women faced a unique form of oppression that both had to do with their race and gender. 

from the Library of Congress:

Resources for Women's History Month

from the National Council for History Education (NCHE):

Tools for Teaching Women's Histories

from Colonial Williamsburg:

Watch: Women in the Colonies

In Colonial America, women had crucial roles in shaping society and culture, though their contributions varied based on their racial, ethnic and religious background and the region in which they lived. Invite students to reflect on this question as they watch: How did the lives of women differ in early America depending on which colony or region they lived in? This video features content from history.org, a collaborative project developed by leading history museums and civics education organizations, powered by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. 

from Eerdman's Books for Young Readers: