The theme “Writing Women Back into History” has been selected as the 2010 celebration of “Women’s History Month” which is held yearly in the month of March.

A Presidential Proclamation issued by President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8, 1980, as the first National Women’s History Week. In 1987 the United Stats Congress extended the week into a month. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the celebration.

Yearly women in a designated profession or category are selected to be honored. This year the names of honorees of the past accompanied with the women honorees of the present make up an extensive list.

There are hundreds of notable women’s names documented for this honor in 2010.

“This year women are spotlighted from all cultural, religious, political, economic and geographic backgrounds.

There are many who led campaigns for equality and civil rights, others who pioneered educational and professional opportunities, while others made great contributions to the arts and sciences, and women who dared to open new doors and inspired us with their courage and leadership.”

As stated by the National Women’s History Project, “It often seems that the history of women is written in invisible ink. Even when recognized in their own times, women are frequently left out of the history books.”

The passing of time, the progression and changes in society seem to erase or lessen the impact and event accomplished by notable women. We see or read about their accomplishment and many times fail to understand the struggle, personal turmoil commitment, dedication, passion and burning of beliefs that comes from within a person.

Words in a history book cannot adequately describe the fear and uncertainty felt by women who left their native lands, families and customs to settle in a new land.

They put away those fears and relied on their inner strength.

They were the women who sailed on the Mayflower, women who migrated from all parts of Europe.

Native Americans who left or were taken from their tribes, African women stolen and sold as slaves, women who crossed this land in covered wagons and women who have ventured into space.

History, however, has been kind to Abigail Adams, wife of our third President, a self educated woman, mother of nine children, with well informed political beliefs.

She was a woman with a vision for the rights of women and wrote over two thousand letters to her husband, family, friends, and government officials advocating for her beliefs.

Her most famous letter was written while her husband served on the Continental Congress during the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

She wrote: “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous to them than your ancestors. If care is not paid we are determined to forment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

The names of women read in history books are learned and others we have seen their great accomplishments: Sacajawea, Sojourner Truth, Dorthea Dix, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton, Amelia Earhart Mary Chase Smith, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Shirley Chisholm, Sandra Day O’Connor, Gloria Steinem, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Sally Ride, Julia Butterfly Hill, Mother Teresa , Margaret Albright and Oprah Winfrey.

Although not called by name history will recall women through the ages who left their homes each day and worked in hospitals caring for the sick, teaching children in classroom; working on a production line assembling airplanes and parachutes, sewing clothing and other operations in the garment industry, transcribing notes on manual typewriters, clerking in the five and dimes stores and working on farms.

These are the woman who strived to open doors of work equality.

Women are special!

They face the challenges in their lives with great spirit. They can laugh at themselves, cry with their sister, make everything better with a hug or kiss; solve the problems of the world if need be; console a friend; bake the best brownie; pray for those in need; feel compassion and give comfort to the sick and lonely, listen to the uncertainties of the fearful; and smile through their tears and heartaches.

Writing about women and their accomplishment fills me with a sense of pride and admiration. It is like praying.

The words in the song “I Am Woman” written by Helen Reddy reaffirming our strength and determination plays in my head and heart. Helen sings the song with deep conviction. Perhaps, a few of the lyrics tell it all.

Oh, yes I am wise but it’s wisdom born of pain

Yes, I’ve paid the price but look how much I gained

If I have to I can do anything

I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman

Maria Capolarella Montante, a former Pittston City Council member, is a lifelong Pittston resident and lifelong volunteer. Her column of local memories and comments appears once a month in this space.

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