The first time women history was celebrated, it was only for a week. In 1981 women’s history week was declared by congress as a national celebration, but the week wasn't truly celebrated until March 7, 1982. For the next five years it was celebrated as a week, but in 1987 the National Women’s History Project petitioned that the week should be turned into a month. Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 that turned the week into a month. Without all of the women that have worked and are still working toward civil rights for women we would not have this month to celebrate. Alice Paul was a civil rights activist who was born into a Quaker family. She went to the United States in 1910 and was interested in the women suffrage movement. Viola Gregg Luizzo