[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 35 (Monday, March 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 2, 2015

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect and admiration 
that I rise today in observation of Women's History Month and its 2015 
theme: Weaving the Stories of Women's Lives. Each year, the National 
Women's History Project selects a unifying theme to recognize and 
promote Women's History Month. This year's theme recounts the 
individual and collective narratives that have been woven into the 
history of our nation and celebrates the important economic, cultural, 
political, and social contributions women have made to our history and 
their continued impact on our future. This year also marks the 35th 
anniversary of the National Women's History Project.
   Women have played a crucial and unique role throughout America's 
history by providing the majority of the volunteer labor force in the 
country. American women of every race, class, and ethnic background 
have served as early leaders in every major progressive social change 
movement including the abolitionist movement, the emancipation 
movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and 
the peace movement. These remarkable women were leaders and organizers 
who not only secured their own rights and access to equal opportunity, 
but also served as a voice for many disenfranchised and undervalued 
populations.
   Throughout our nation's history, there are many examples of women 
who have worked diligently to uncover these stories of leadership and 
have succeeded in writing women into the pages of our nation's history. 
Strong role models such as Delilah L. Beasley, the first African 
American woman to be regularly published in a major metropolitan 
newspaper, and Eleanor Flexner, whose groundbreaking 1959 book, Century 
of Struggle: The Woman's Rights Movement in the United States, brought 
to light the adversity women overcame in the workplace and the voting 
booth. These women pioneered the way for other great journalists, 
historians, educators, and anthropologists such as Lynn Sherr, a 
broadcast journalist and author who advocated for women's equal access 
to healthcare and social change both on screen and in print. Because of 
these courageous trailblazers women today are empowered to share their 
stories of achievement, leadership, courage, and strength, and to speak 
out against injustice, prejudice, and inequality.
   These revolutionary women have retold their own personal tales of 
struggles and successes, as well as the tribulations and triumphs of 
other women. These accounts of the lives of individual women are 
pivotal because they not only acknowledge strong female role models who 
share an unlimited vision of what a woman can accomplish, but they also 
challenge stereotypes and social assumptions about who women are and 
what women can achieve today. Numerous female scholars, authors, and 
social activists, both past and present, serve as outstanding examples 
who reflect the 2015 theme, Weaving the Stories of Women's Lives.
   Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join in celebrating Women's History 
Month and to recognize that after decades of dedication, perseverance, 
contributions, and advances, the stories of American women from all 
cultures and classes are being printed, spoken, recognized, and 
celebrated. In an effort to illustrate the many courageous and 
dedicated women throughout America's history, we remember and recount 
the tales of our ancestors' talents, sacrifices, and commitments that 
serve as an inspiration to today's generation of both women and men. I 
ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in 
celebrating the many ways that women's history has become woven into 
the fabric of our national story.

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