Celebrating Women's History Month

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week.” Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.

Here at Mizzou we recognize the vital role women have played in creating an inclusive campus that welcomes and celebrates the work and accomplishments of all women. The Women's History Month exhibition highlights Tiger women who have broken down barriers, created change, and fought for equal opportunities across the board. 

Highlights 

Dr. Barbara Uehling (1978 Savitar)

 In 1978, Dr. Barbara Uehling became MU's first woman chancellor, making her one of only two other women who held the top administrative positions at large public universities at the time.

Desireé Reed-Francois (Photo by Keith Borgmeyer)

 

In 2021, Reed-Francois became Mizzou’s 21st Director of Athletics. Reed-Francois is the first female athletic director in Mizzou’s history, the first female athletic director in a public institution in the SEC and was the first Hispanic female and woman of color athletics director at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.

Dr. Marcia Chatelain (BA, BJ, 2001)

Dr. Marcia Chatelain is an author, professor and strategist and currently is a professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University.  Her latest book, Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in history. 

 

New Exhibition Additions 

• Delia Cai (BJ 2015) | Author and journalist
  
• Dr. Marcia Chatelain (BA, BJ, 2001) |Pultizer Prize winning author, scholar, speaker
• Peggy Cherng (MS 1971, PhD 1974) | Co-Chief Executive Offer of the Panda Restaurant Group
• Sheryl Crow (BS Ed 1984) | Grammy award winning singer and songwriter
• Sophie Cunningham (BS 2020) | WNBA Player
• Desireé Reed-Francois | Mizzou’s 21st Director of Athletics, and the first woman to hold that position
• Claire McCaskill (BA 1975, JD 1978) | first woman Senator elected from the state of Missouri 

The exhibition is located on the first floor of the MU Student Center outside of the entrance to Mort's. 

It will be up through the month of March.