Women's History Month 2026
Published: March 11, 2026
March is Women's History Month, and we invite you to observe the achievements of women in U.S. history. This year's theme affirms that shaping a sustainable future means fostering systems that support both people and the planet.
Read President Trump's statement in this year's Presidential Message on Women’s History Month.
In 1980, in conjunction with International Women's Day, President Jimmy Carter asked Americans to celebrate women's historical accomplishments. In 1981, Congress passed Public Law 97-28 designating the week beginning March 7, 1982 as "Women's History Week," and in 1987, Public Law 100-9 expanded it to a month-long national time of celebration and recognition. Search GovInfo to see joint resolutions recognizing March as "Women's History Month" and Presidential proclamations that celebrate contributions and achievements women have made to the United States.
This year, we spotlight Dr. Usha Varanasi, a pioneering Indian-American marine scientist recognized as the first female director of a fisheries field office.
Dr. Varanasi developed her passion for science and environmental conservation as a child growing up in India, pursuing academic studies at Bombay University, and later pursuing higher education in the United States. She was the first female student from India to attend the California Institute of Technology. She then received her PhD in Chemistry in 1968 from the University of Washington.
In 1975, she joined NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. In 1994, she became the Science and Research Director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, a position she held until her retirement in 2010. After she retired from NOAA, she taught at the University of Washington's College of the Environment. Her life's work focused on how marine organisms accumulate contaminants, the impact of oil spills, and environmental health.
Dr. Varanasi has received numerous awards during her lifetime. These include the U.S. Department of Commerce's highest award — the Gold Medal in 1993 for advancing NOAA's scientific and management capabilities to respond to coastal pollution problems. In 2000, she received the U.S. Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service for her leadership in establishing multidisciplinary research programs to manage and conserve salmon and marine groundfish on the U.S. West Coast.
Take a look at some of Dr. Varanasi's technical and scientific reports on GovInfo.
Read remarks in the Congressional Record honoring Dr. Varanasi on the occasion of her retirement.
Additional Article Sources and Resources
- Read transcripts of 2023 interviews with Dr. Varanasi as part of NOAA's "NOAA Heritage Oral History Project" to learn more about her life and career.
- See the Library of Congress's "Resources for Women’s History Month: Teaching with the Library Blog Roundup" webpage to explore blog posts from "Teaching with the Library" that identify primary sources and strategies for honoring Women’s History Month.
- Check out the Census Bureau's "Facts for Features: Women's History Month: March 2026" page for some interesting statistics reflecting on the advances women have made, including increased earnings, educational attainment, and job opportunities.