It’s finally March, and as Spring approaches we celebrate Women’s History Month!
The Origins
According to the National Women’s History Museum (2024), “Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force in California planned and executed a celebration in 1978.” President Jimmy Carter originally declared a National Women’s History Week in his proclamation in 1980. National Women’s History Week continued annually into 1987 when Congress passed a public law that designated March as Women’s History Month!
As said in the National Women’s History Museum, “The National Women’s History Alliance selects and publishes the yearly theme.” The theme for 2025 is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.”
Colorado Women who changed the World!
Colorado’s history is filled with impactful women in politics, sports, activism, and beyond, and here are just a few who made a lasting impact!
Augusta Tabor: With her husband Horace, Augusta Tabor came to Colorado during the Colorado Gold Rush of 1858-59, and she helped her husband become one of the wealthiest men in America, and before she died, Tabor was one of the wealthiest women in Denver. Tabor’s success came from her careful money management and business strategies.
Chipeta: Chipeta was a Native American woman who was a part of the Ute tribe. She was famous for her intelligence, judgment, empathy, bravery, and quiet strength, and all of these attributes made her the only woman of her time allowed on the Ute Council. Chipeta’s commitment to peace helped shape Colorado.
Mary Elitch Long: Mary Elitch Long was one of the masterminds behind Denver’s Elitch Gardens, and she was the first woman in the world to own and operate a zoo. She opened Elitches in 1890 with her husband, John Elitch, and after his death in 1981 she continued to be a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur. Elitch Long owned a company in a time where women held relatively little power in business and politics, and she defied the odds by creating an amusement park that’s still extremely popular today!
Fannie Mae Duncan: Fannie Mae Duncan moved to Colorado Springs when she was 15 years old, and helped out with her family’s produce stand. She later worked at Camp Carson and opened up a soda fountain for African-American soldiers, called the Haven Club. Duncan opened the doors to The Cotton Club in 1948, and it was a jazz club that became hugely popular and hosted famous musicians.
Mary Lou Makepeace: Makepeace came to Colorado Springs in the 1970s as a caseworker for abused children, and in 1997 she became the first female mayor of Colorado Springs! Makepeace was known to bridge divides, and she continues to help out Colorado to this day.
Why does this matter today?
Although equal rights has come a long way, the fight for gender equality is never over. Women’s History Month reminds us of our progression through history with women’s suffrage, leadership, and equal pay, and the fact that these rights still need to be advocated for in our world today.
To get involved, make sure to support women-owned businesses, learn about impactful women around your community, and speak out against gender discrimination. This month is about shaping the future, along with reflecting on the past. Becoming educated about the past is extremely important, because it shows how far we have come, and how much more we need to do to end inequality.
Women’s history museum link:
Women’s History Month. (n.d.). National Women’s History Museum. Retrieved March 1, 2025, from https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month
