National Women's History Month, 1999
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
A little more than a century ago, an editorial in the Pittsburgh Dispatch
opposing women\rquote s suffrage and criticizing women in the work force so
infuriated a young reader that she wrote a letter in protest. He articulate
response prompted the newspaper editor to offer a job, and thus Elizabeth
Cochrane later known as Nellie Bly began her
career in journalism. A pioneer of investigative reporting, she exposed the
brutal conditions in the care of the mentally ill, reported on poor working
conditions in factories, and wrote of the indignities suffered by women in
prison. This year, as we reflect on America's past in preparation for our
celebration of the new millenium, we recognize that the talent, energy,
intellect, and determination of countless women like Nellie Bly have shaped our
destiny and enriched our society since our earliest days as a Nation.
the Boston Tea Party to Deborah Sampson, who fought as a soldier in the
Revolutionary War; from Angelina and Sarah Grimk, who spoke out against
slavery to Harriet Tubman, who risked her life as a conductor on the
Underground Railroad; from suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt to sharecropper
Fannie Lou Hamer, who faced violence and endured intimidation to become
leader of the Civil Rights movement; from environmentalist Rachel Carson, who
changed our way of looking at the world, to physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, who
changed our way of looking at the universe, women's history is truly
America's history. That is why I was pleased to establish in July of
last year the President's Commission on the Celebration of Women in
American History, whose recommendations will help us to better understand and
rejoice to appreciate the role and accomplishments of women.
During Women's History Month, we honor the generations of women who have
served our Nation as doctors and scientists, teachers and factory workers,
soldiers and secretaries, athletes and mothers. We honor the women who have
worked the land, cared for children and the elderly, nurtured families and
businesses, served in charitable organizations and public office. And we
remember the good friends we have so recently lost -- women such as Bella Abzug,
Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and Florence Griffith-Joyner -- whose achievements and
example continue to light our lives.
But we must do more than remember. We must build on the legacy of the
millions of women, whether renowned or anonymous, who have contributed so
much to the strength and character of our Nation. We must ensure that women
have equal access to the education and opportunities they need to excel. We
must guarantee that women receive equal pay in the workplace. We must promote
policies and programs including affordable, high-quality
childcare that enable working women to succeed both on the job and
in their homes. And we must work to ensure that women have the comfort of
knowing they can retire in security. Women who have gone before us
accomplished so much, often in the face of hardship and discrimination; we
can only imagine what women will accomplish in the future if we break down
the remaining barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of
the United States, do hereby proclaim March 1999 as Women's History Month. I
encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs,
ceremonies, and activities, and to remember throughout the year the many heroic
women whose many and varied contributions have enriched our lives.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of March, in
the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-third.
Forwarded by NWHP@aol.com
A NOTE TO THE AUTHOR OF THIS MESSAGE:
If you have a reference for this speech, would you please provide it! Thank
you!
Susan Carter
EDEQUITY administrator
edequity-admin@mail.edc.org
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