How Women’s History Month Changed Education
By Julie Lin , March 13th 2025
It is the month of March! The month where students are riling up for a long brutal testing season while teachers are settling down to the last units to prepare for these long-awaited tests. In this stress-driven period it is so easy to forget about what is going on throughout the months, so it’s not surprising that many forget that March is Women’s History Month.
I have personally asked a student council representative, Gabby Hernandez if she knew if it was Women’s History Month. She states, “I did when I was younger and forgot. I knew about it from my daycare at the time since there was a lot of women there.” From what she describes isn’t far off to what usually happens when many tend to be acknowledged of holidays and events from when they were young but has soon forgotten about it when they grow up.
It's hard to see that such an important month that has helped millions of students access education and millions of opportunities, thus why I’ll be sharing some individuals who have taken the action to spread the foundations of education and equality to everyone.
What is educational equality? According to United Way NCA, it is the belief that every individual, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have access to high-quality education and opportunities for personal growth. It is incredibly important in today’s society because it is the key to achieving social, economic, and civil rights. Education in many parts of the world have been restricted due to class and age but more specifically sex, which is why Malala Yousafzai began speaking out.
Meet Malala Yousafzai, an education activist in Pakistan and youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She officially started her journey in speaking for this issue when she was 11 because the Pakistani Taliban had banned girls from attending school, this protest to equality grew into an international movement which inspired many.
Her journey was not at all smooth sailing, on October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman targeted her for her activism. Malala was struck in the head and remained in critical condition. But that didn’t stop Malala, she kept speaking out for the rights to education when she recovered and since then has become an international symbol for the fight for girls’ education.
Mary McLeod Bethune was also an activist for civil rights and African American women’s rights and advancement. Being born on July 10, 1875 near Maysville, South Carolina, she was the daughter of formerly enslaved parents. Bethune was mostly known for founding set education standards for today’s Black colleges and her role as an advisor to Present Franklin Roosevelt giving African Americans an advocate in government.
Bethune made sure to establish programs that would fight to end segregated education, to improve healthcare for Black children, and to help women use the ballot to advance equality. Her constant fight helped her gain a position in the National Association of Colored Women as its eighth national president. Later on she carries out multiple councils, investing businesses, contributing in publications, and establishing a missionary school, her legacy carries on to encourage future world renowned activists to appear to continue to fight for the millions who share the same story.
There are so many activists that have spoken out for change in the world, such as:
Harriet Tubman
Marie Curie
Rosa Parks
Ada Lovelace
Marie Stopes
This isn’t close to the amount of the amazing women who contributed to worldly change, learn and discover more about them here: https://www.historyextra.com/100-women/100-women-results/
