North Carolina Humanities joins the nation in observing Women’s History Month this March! Throughout the year, we work to celebrate and uplift histories, stories, and cultures of all North Carolinians.
In 2022, NC Humanities featured Pauli Murray: A Personal and Political Life by Troy Saxby as one of its inaugural North Carolina Reads book selections. This year, the U.S. Mint issued five new American Women Quarters and among those featured is poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray. The reverse (tails) side of the quarter depicts Murray’s eyeglass-framed face within the shape of the word “HOPE,” which is symbolic of Murray’s belief that significant societal reforms were possible when rooted in hope.
In honor of this recognition by the U.S. Mint, we thought we’d revisit our North Carolina Reads conversation this Women’s History Month. You can watch author Troy Saxby and Barbara Lau discuss the book on our YouTube channel. Since our chat with Troy and Barbara, NC Humanities continues to work with the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, including through the Center’s Teaching Fellowship program.
We’re also giving away one copy of Fire Chief Fran by North Carolina author Linda Ashman! Featuring a strong female role model, a huge fire truck, and an action-packed story, this read-aloud is a dynamic introduction to a day in the life of a firefighter. Head to NC Humanities’ Instagram to enter to win! The giveaway closes March 31.
Lastly, we invite you to read the below resources that explore and pay tribute to Women’s History Month. This is just a short collection of the amazing resources that are available. We encourage our readers to explore beyond what we’ve listed.
- Explore the official Women’s History Month website.
- Browse the North Carolina Women’s History Timeline put together by the North Carolina Museum of History.
- Read the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Virtual Bookshelf, featuring funded projects and resources examining women’s achievements and contributions to history, culture, and society.
- Join the Smithsonian in celebrating Women’s History Month by exploring events, resources, podcast episodes, and exhibitions that tell a diversity of women’s stories.
- As the home of the 19th Amendment, explore the resources of the National Archives.
Have a resource to share? Please email Melanie Moore Richeson at mmoore@nchumanities.org.
Cover Photo: Operating a hand drill at Vultee-Nashville, woman is working on a “Vengeance” dive bomber, Tennessee
