March is Women's History Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society.
Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage is an evocative and deeply personal statement by a photographer whose career now spans more than forty years, encompassing a broad range of subject matter, history, and stylistic influences. Unlike her staged and carefully lit portraits made on assignment for magazines and advertising clients, the photographs in this exhibition were taken simply because Leibovitz was moved by the subject.
Women at Work
Throughout American history, women have worked in the home, in the fields, and then in the factories with the advent of war. This collection was compiled by the United States National Archives and Records Administration, drawing from its nationwide holdings, and depicts the role of women in the workforce throughout our national life.
Flight to Freedom
Mission US is a multimedia project that immerses players in U.S. history content through free interactive games. In Mission 2: “Flight to Freedom,” players take on the role of Lucy, a 14-year-old slave in Kentucky. As they navigate her escape and journey to Ohio, they discover that life in the “free” North is dangerous and difficult. In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act brings disaster. Will Lucy ever truly be free? (Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and CPB)
The Women of Four Wars
The limited but important roles women played in Korea and Vietnam paved the path to more expanded -- and in some cases more dangerous -- specialties in recent wars.
For Teachers
Put the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids.
2012 Theme
Event Highlights
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March 1 – 31
Performance
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars
Meet Mary Pickersgill, the seamstress who sewed the Star-Spangled Banner in 1813. Help her assemble the huge garrison flag and learn about its history.
(National Museum of American History) -
March 1
Panel Discussion
5th Annual Forum on Women in Leadership: Women in Leadership for the First Ladies
A distinguished panel of women who were formerly in leadership positions for the First Ladies discuss what it took to get there and their experiences working in the White House. Moderated by Cokie Roberts, news analyst for NPR.
(National Archives) -
March 2
Book Discussion
"Right Here I See My Own Books: The Woman's Building Library at the World’s Columbian Exposition" examines the progress, content and significance of this historic first effort to assemble a comprehensive library of women’s texts.
(Library of Congress) -
March 3
Family Day: A Celebration of Innovation and Invention
A celebration of the centennial of the Girl Scouts. The day includes musical performances; presentations on women inventors; video interviews of audience members by teen videographers; a vintage Girl Scout uniform fashion show; and art, science, and stamp-collecting activities.
(National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution) -
March 4, 11, 18
Stories in Art
Investigate: Helen Frankenthaler
Learn how Helen Frankenthaler's abstract paintings were inspired by landscapes. Then, make a painting without using brushes.
(National Gallery of Art)