As this year slowly progresses, turning in unusual ways, few things remain constant and familiar. These such things often fade in the shadow of the here and now, but they should not be forgotten, rather brought to light and drawn out of the deep shadow it has been immersed in. I speak specifically about the coming month of March. March has clearly not been forgotten, but the very thing dedicated to this month has been overlooked many times – Women’s History Month.

Women’s History Month is celebrated because of the numerous contributions women have made throughout American history, not merely for a portion of the American population, but for America itself. Women have fought for equal rights and suffrage as early as the 19th century. Woman have played a large role in the development of America as a country in many aspects, including politics and society, often going unnoticed for their involvement.

Countless women, including Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, are well known for their contributions in abolitionism and women’s rights, as well as the framing of several aspects of American society and, ultimately, history. Many women, however, go unnoticed for their involvement in said, “framing,” one of which may or may not be known to many among us – Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and arguably one of America’s greatest First Ladies.

Eleanor Roosevelt, born to a wealthy family in 1884, was involved in many humanitarian and social reform organizations as well as Democratic Party politics. Although the expectations of a First Lady were along the lines of a docile housewife and hospitable hostess, Eleanor was more involved in her husband’s presidential administrations than most other First Ladies before her. For instance, Eleanor Roosevelt was deeply involved in matters of civil rights for African Americans and was an immovable advocate for American laborers during the Great Depression, as well as a supporter of the arts. She often encouraged President Roosevelt to appoint more women to federal positions and held numerous press conferences for exclusively female reporters, as they were often withheld from White House conferences. On top of this, Eleanor also worked to grant European refugees’ passage into the U.S. during World War II while simultaneously promoting issues of significance to American soldiers, helping boost their morale, encouraging people to volunteer, and include women in the defense industry.

These are only a few examples of the vast contributions made by Eleanor Roosevelt in the span of her life and for the duration of time in which she was a First Lady. She undoubtedly faced multiple hardships, not only those included in the package of life, but those that came with her deliberate and unwavering advocacy- including a bounty placed on her head by the Ku Klux Klan because of her continuous support of civil rights for African Americans. Even after her time in the White House, Eleanor never faltered and stood firm in her support of and action towards humanitarian matters. She, as well as multiple other women, contributed to America as a country and helped it develop in many aspects, despite the many obstacles they faced for doing so.

It is because of women like Eleanor Roosevelt that the month of March is memorialized as Women’s History Month, and her actions and values give us cause to never forget why this month is celebrated in this way!