By Laura Molinari, Staff Writer

The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) organized a creative table and banner from March 7–9 in the Student Center as a way of engaging students to celebrate Women’s History Month.

A white quilt with bright pink words read, “She-ro,” slang for “female hero.” Around it, students were encouraged to write quotes by women in history who have inspired them. There were also magazine cut-outs and online printouts of empowering women available for students to stick onto the quilt.

 “We can celebrate and honor women by having this quilt, even though I know that we should honor and celebrate women all the time,” said Prescilla John, Vice President of the NAACP. Brenda J. Elsey, Director of the Women’s Studies program and an Assistant Professor of History at Hofstra University stated, “Underlying the celebration of women’s history month is the recognition that studying the lives of women is essential to understanding human history.”

Up until from the 1970s, women were not often recognized for their contributions to society. In 1978, Women’s History Month was created by the school district of Sonoma, Ca. to acknowledge women who made outstanding achievements. In 1986, the National Women’s History Project petitioned to Congress to dedicate the entire month of March to honoring women.  The appeal was successful.

“Although it might seem obvious today,” said Elsey, “in order for women to claim rights as citizens, their contributions to industrialization, family life, childrearing, literature, medicine and every other sphere needed to be established.”

Some students feel that even though an entire month is dedicated to celebrating Women’s History, it is sometimes disregarded and will not be respected in the future.

“Women in History Month is not recognized as much as it should be,” said junior biochemistry major, Ricardo Percy. “It’s overlooked but at the same time this campus does a great job of putting it out there.”

 “We’re going places, but there’s this idea still that there’s a mentality that women still aren’t as good as men,” said Ashley D.M.M. Lees, Secretary of the NAACP. “Women are often so pushed to the side and it’s something that’s just always happened. It’s a tradition.”