MARCH 2020: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

Celebrate Women’s History Month in Missouri by attending the following events throughout the state:

Western Missouri

• The University of Missouri-Kansas City, alongside Swinney Recreation Center, UMKC Counseling Services, and UMKC Campus Facilities Management, presents Crafty Feminist Afternoon at the Women’s Center: Operation Beautiful on March 3 from noon – 2 p.m. This event invites you to come by the Women’s Center, located at 105 Haag Hall, 5120 Rockhill Road, in Kansas City to create shrink art and Post-it note messages that promote positive body image on campus. Snacks are provided!

• The Kansas City Public Library, in partnership with The Kansas City Athenaeum, presents The Golden Lane: How Missouri Women Gained the Vote and Changed History on March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Central Library at 14 West 10th Street in Kansas City. Author Margot McMillen notes that the fight for women’s rights really began in Missouri, and was, in fact, won here. McMillen’s book The Golden Lane examines the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, and Missouri’s role in advancing and ultimately achieving women’s suffrage.

• The Kansas City Women’s Events group hosts Spoil Me Silly at the Stanley on March 10 from 6 – 9 p.m. at The Aspen Room at the Stanley. This free event, hosted in part by the Stanley Historic Event Space, gives women the opportunity to enjoy some “me time” with friends while looking around the Stanley. The event offers some amazing pop-up boutiques and vendors, a cash bar, and free pampering and massage services. The Stanley Historic Event Space is located at 308 Southeast Douglas Street in Lee’s Summit.

Central Missouri

•  The Columbia Chamber of Commerce presents the Women’s Network March 2019 Luncheon on March 19 beginning at 11:30 a.m. This special event features a panel of women who are pioneers in their work or have careers in historically male-dominated fields. Attend the luncheon to hear about their journeys and be inspired to challenge yourself in the work you do. The event will take place at the Peachtree Catering & Banquet Center at 120 East Nifong Boulevard, Suite D, in Columbia. Please visit online to preregister for this event, or contact Deena Kahn at 573-874-1132 for more information.

• The State Historical Society of Missouri and Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection commemorate the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage with the collaborative exhibition Missouri Women: Suffrage to Statecraft. Displays include related clothing and artwork from statewide collections that highlight roles of Missouri women in the national suffrage movement, as well as trailblazing women in Missouri politics before and after ratification of the federal amendment. Enjoy the opening reception on March 14, from 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

• Learn more about significant Missouri women as you stroll through the State Capital’s Hall of Famous Missourians in Jefferson City. Visit online to learn more.

Eastern Missouri

•  The St. Louis Art Museum, at One Fine Arts Drive in St. Louis, presents If It Wasn’t for the Women: An Exploration of Materiality in Art on March 21 at 11 a.m., in the museum’s Farrell Auditorium. During the Museum’s annual celebration of women in the arts, panelists discuss the relevance of materiality in their work and elaborate on what they seek to reveal to the viewer through the use of those materials. Free ticket required. This program is offered free of charge, thanks to the Mary Strauss Women in the Arts Endowment. Please visit online for more details.

• Celebrate Women’s History Month with the St. Louis Public Library as they host Noteworthy and Notorious Women of STL. On March 7 from 1 – 2 p.m. at the Buder Library, Daniel Fuller will discuss the history of “noteworthy and notorious” women who secured the right to vote, left their mark on history, and made their final resting place at Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum.

• On March 3, FOCUS St. Louis hosts the 2020 Women’s History Month Breakfast. This event consists of an engaging panel discussion with four prominent St. Louis business, nonprofit, and media leaders. Discussion topics include how they got to where they are in their careers, tips for navigating power structures and achieving change, and leadership in community and civic spaces. Learn strategies to improve your leadership effectiveness in any situation and help pave the way for future women leaders. This event costs $15 for FOCUS members, and $30 for non-members. Register for this event here.

Learn more about Women’s History Month by visiting the following sites:

•  “Our History is our Strength,” at the National Women’s History Project, highlights this year’s theme, Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.

• Find women-centric data, statistics, and resources at the United States Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau. Search the Working Women’s Clearinghouse for a centralized collection of tools and publications specifically geared for women.

• Experience Women’s History in Missouri at this online exhibit highlighting significant women throughout Missouri.

• Explore the American Women and Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Women’s Party collections, both at the Library of Congress.

• Educate yourself with the Women’s History Month teaching resources at the Smithsonian Museums website. Scroll through the online calendar for additional event opportunities throughout the month of March.