Susan B.Anthony

Elizabeth Cady

Stanton

Sojourner Truth

Lucretia Mott

Ida B. Wells

The President’s

Commission on the Celebration of

Women inAmerican History

March 1, 1999

“Because we must tell and retell, learn and relearn, thesewomen’s stories, and we must make it our personal mission, in

our everyday lives, to pass these stories on to our daughters andsons. Because we cannot—we must not—ever forget that the

rights and opportunities we enjoy as women today were not justbestowed upon us by some benevolent ruler. They were foughtfor, agonized over, marched for, jailed for and even died for bybrave and persistent women and men who came before us....

That is one of the great joys and beauties of the Americanexperiment. We are always striving to build and move toward amore perfect union, that we on every occasion keep faith with

our founding ideas and translate them into reality.”

Hillary Rodham ClintonOn the occasion of the

150th Anniversary of the First Women’s Rights Convention Seneca Falls, NY

July 16, 1998

Celebrating Women’s History

Recommendations toPresident William Jefferson Clinton

from the

President’s Commission on the Celebrationof Women in American History

Commission Co-Chairs: Ann Lewis and Beth Newburger

Commission Members: Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, J. Michael Cook,Dr. Barbara Goldsmith, LaDonna Harris, Gloria Johnson,Dr. Elaine Kim, Dr. Ellen Ochoa,Anna Eleanor Roosevelt,Irene Wurtzel

March 1, 1999

Table of Contents

Executive Order 13090 ................................................................................1

Meeting Overview........................................................................................2Findings ........................................................................................................3Recommendations........................................................................................4

The National Agenda ..............................................................................4The Community Agenda.........................................................................6Women's History in the Nation's Capital .............................................12

Federal Government Activities ...................................................................14A Challenge and an Opportunity for Popular Culture................................17We Recognize ............................................................................................18

Appendix....................................................................................................20Commissioners’ Biographies.................................................................20Meeting Venues.....................................................................................21Speakers List..........................................................................................21Acknowledgements ..............................................................................26

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 1

Executive Order 13090 estab-lished a Presidential Commissionto recommend how America

should recognize the contributions ofwomen to our nation’s history. In itself,the Executive Order was a historicaldocument. John F. Kennedy raised theissues affecting women in contempo-rary society when he authorized thePresident’s Commission on the Status

of Women in 1961. William JeffersonClinton became the first President to rec-ognize the importance of women’shistorical contributions to the creationand development of our country

when he established the President’sCommission on the Celebration ofWomen in American History.

The recommendations offered in thisreport are based on the suggestions

received in the open meetings of theCommission, by letter and through ourwebsite. We hope this report will alsoconvey the enthusiasm with which theCommission was greeted as we traveledaround the country, and the apprecia-tion expressed everywhere for theleadership of President William JeffersonClinton and First Lady Hillary RodhamClinton in making this work possible.

“The Commission shall make recommendations to thePresident, through the Co-Chairs of the Commission, on

ways to best acknowledge and celebrate the roles andaccomplishments of women in American history.

Recommendations may include, among other things, thefeasibility of a focal point for women’s history located inWashington, D.C., and the use of the latest technology to

connect existing and planned women’s history sites,museums, and libraries.

The Commission shall meet to carry out its workconcerning the celebration of women in American

history.”

—Executive Order 13090: Establishing the President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History

July 2, 1998

2 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

MEETINGS OVERVIEW

T o develop the recommendationsincluded in this report andrequired by Executive Order

13090, the President’s Commission on theCelebration of Women in American Historytraveled to every region of the country. Ineach, the Commission held open meetingsand solicited ideas from historians,archivists, activists, academics, businessleaders, students and many others. Wealso heard testimony from other peoplewho came to present their ideas.

The response to our efforts was posi-tive and constructive. Not only were theretremendous excitement and enthusiasmfor the work of the Commission, but manyinvited speakers and members of the pub-lic also noted that the Commission itselfwas making history.

Each of our meetings was held in a historic venue to inspire the dialogue. Allmeetings were publicized and wellattended by the public. The invited speak-ers represented the full range of diversecultural backgrounds and issues of impor-tance to women.

Canandaigua, New YorkOur first meeting was held at the OntarioCounty Courthouse in Canandaigua,New York. Commission Co-Chairs AnnLewis and Beth Newburger called themeeting to order in the very courtroomwhere Susan B. Anthony was convictedof voting in the 1872 presidentialelection. The meeting was heldin conjunction with First LadyHillary Rodham Clinton’svisit to Seneca Falls tocelebrate the 150th anniversaryof the first Women’s RightsConvention of 1848.

The public participation in the firstmeeting was impressive because of theenormous attention focused on neigh-boring Seneca Falls that day. Each of theCommissioners presented his or her visionfor the work we would do as we devel-oped our recommendations. The publicdiscussion revealed an intense interest in

addressing the need to include women’shistory in our lives and revolved aroundthe lack of women’s history in school cur-ricula. A high school student made aneloquent plea for including in her historybook the Declaration of Rights andSentiments, the document endorsed in

1848 to specifically declare the equal-ity of all citizens including women.

Albuquerque, New MexicoThe Albuquerque meeting

was held in the AlbuquerqueMuseum, where an exhibit of

Hispanic women at work was ondisplay. Hosted by CommissionerLaDonna Harris, the Commissionersheard from distinguished AmericanIndian scholars and prominent Latinas.They also heard testimony from MollyMurphy MacGregor, co-founder andpresident of the National Women’sHistory Project. A recurring theme at this

meeting was the need for inclusivenessand diversity. Again and again, speakersurged the Commission to speak for andto some of the oft-forgotten.

Chicago, IllinoisThe Chicago meeting was held in theClaudia Cassidy Auditorium at theChicago Cultural Center. Hosted by Commissioner Anna EleanorRoosevelt, the meeting was expandedto two days to accommodate thenumber of speakers who asked to be heard. The themes that emergedfrom members of the public, as wellas from invited speakers, were theneeds to focus on the work of localcommunities and ways to empowerand recognize local programs.

Washington, DCAt the meeting in the East Auditorium,Department of State, speakersintroduced a macro approach towomen’s history recommendations.The Commission heard from respectedwomen’s leaders including BettyFriedan, Eleanor Smeal, the HonorablePat Schroeder and the Honorable

“We have spanned the arc of history. Our first meetingwas in a courtroom where Susan B. Anthony was

convicted of voting. Now we meet in the same buildingwhere Madeleine Albright is Secretary of State.”

Ann LewisCommission Co-Chair

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 3

Louise Slaughter. The women gave themeeting a modern historical context,linking the work of our foremothers tothe more recent professional andpolitical struggles. National groups,such as the General Federation ofWomen’s Clubs, National Woman’sParty Sewall-Belmont House and theNational Council of Women’sOrganizations provided guidance onhow to connect national projects withcommunity action. We also heardfrom archivists who discussed the needto change the way historicaldocuments are catalogued to increasethe visibility of women.

Berkeley, California“History is who is the historian and who

collects history. History is also today andwhat is tomorrow.”

Sara Kaplan

When professors and graduate studentsgathered at the University of California atBerkeley, a frequently expressed themewas that more “recently arrived immigrantwomen (Latino, Asian and others) mustbe included in the process of celebratingwomen in American history.” Severalspeakers stressed the need to recognizethat history is today and what happenstomorrow. They strongly recommendedthat there be support for local community

programs that empower these newAmerican women. There was strong sup-port for the notion of a travelingmuseum, the use of murals and avideo project that would beattractive to young peopleand non-English speakers.

Atlanta, GeorgiaThe meeting in Atlanta at the MartinLuther King, Jr. National Historic Sitewas held during the celebration of Dr.King’s birthday and hosted byCommissioner Dr. Johnnetta Cole.

Inspired by a message from Coretta ScottKing, many of the speakers invoked the

words and spirit of Dr. King, Jr., as aguiding force in all efforts toward

equality and greaterunderstanding of fellowwomen and men.

Speakers focused on issuesimportant to women and urged

the Commissioners to includelesbians, women with disabilities, non-

traditional religious groups and womenof diverse cultures in anyrecommendations. Students from local

colleges talked about the need to reachyoung people. Georgia was recognizedfor its leadership in establishing the firststate historical initiative to memorializethe lives of women, i.e, the GeorgiaCommission on the Preservation ofWomen’s Historical Landmarks.

FINDINGS

T he Commission found thatthere is growing interest in thefield of women’s history, with

parallel growth in research andscholarship. The result is a body ofinformation in new books, articles andjournals, a coordinating council forwomen in history to encouragenetworking at local and national levels,and conferences for historians andhistoric sites. There is more attention tothe importance of preserving the papersof women pioneers and an increasingemphasis on oral history projects topreserve the stories of women in everywalk of life.

There is also a growing trend to pre-serve women’s historical sites.Community organizations and volunteershave stepped forward to develop inno-vative ideas, such as the women’s parkbuilt this past year in Yellow Springs, OH.Women’s history museums, either

“As a working grandmother, as a trade unionist, as awoman of color I want two things to come from this

Commission. First, I want the voices of all women to beheard at this celebration. Well known women and

unknown women, women from the inner cities, farmwomen, migrant women, educated and uneducated,

women in the fields and the mines as well as theschoolrooms, hospitals and offices. Second, I hope the

information that is being documented and collected allacross the country will be shared with today’s working

women and their children. Women factory workersshould learn not only about their own history but aboutwomen scientists, musicians and poets. Our children

should know the stories of their mothers andgrandmothers and great grandmothers because then

they will know what they themselves are capable of doing. ”

Gloria JohnsonCommissioner

4 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

planned or open, including theInternational Museum of Women (SanFrancisco, CA), the Women’s Museum:Institute for the Future (Dallas, TX), theWomen’s History Museum on Wheels(Wheeling, WV), Women of the West(Boulder, CO), the Women In MilitaryService For America Memorial Foundation(Washington, DC), the National CowgirlMuseum and Hall of Fame (Fort Worth,TX), the National Women’s Hall of Fame(Seneca Falls, NY), the Women’s RightsNational Historical Park (Seneca Falls, NY)and the National Museum of Women’sHistory (Washington, DC ).

We can be proud of the leadership inthis area by federal agencies, including theNational Park Service of the Departmentof the Interior, National Archives andRecords Administration, Department ofEducation, General Services Administration,NASA, Library of Congress, White HouseOffice of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach,and the White House Millennium Council.

As appreciation of the value of recog-nizing women’s history increases, we findan even greater demand for: • more public recognition of the

contributions women have made tobuilding this country

• more emphasis on bringing historyto life by connecting excitingacademic discoveries withcommunity celebrations, withschool classrooms and with thepopular culture venues

• more attention to ways we honorour past, throughacknowledging the rolesthat women have playedand imagining a future inwhich women’s lives andachievements are fully valued. While professional historians, archivists

and academics lead efforts to recognize anddocument women’s lives, much of the workin site preservation and community cele-brations has been undertaken by dedicated

volunteers and community activists. TheNational Women’s History Project is anexcellent example of a young organization(just 20 years old) that has succeeded in rais-ing the national awareness of the importanceof women’s history by designating March

as National Women’s History Month.The National Women’s History

Project was cited again and againas a national resource deserv-ing greater support. A constant

theme was the request for moreattention and support for work specif-

ically dedicated to women’s history and— because women do not live separatelyfrom men and families — for more atten-tion to women’s lives as a part of existinghistorical celebrations and sites.

RECOMMENDATIONS

T he recommendations that followrepresent a distillation of thehundreds of ideas presented to

the Commission and suggest ways tocelebrate women in American historythat will have the greatest impact intothe next millennium. This millennialagenda begins at the national level,reaches across the country with 10 recommendations for states,communities and local organizations,recommends a focal point in the nation’scapital and provides a challenge to thepopular culture.

THE NATIONAL AGENDA

We RecommendDesign and Display a Traveling Exhibit

“Whatever is done to celebratewomen in American history, more peo-ple will experience it if the celebrationcomes to where they live, rather thanhaving people come to the celebra-tion...Use traveling interactive exhibitsto celebrate women’s history...Emphasize ways to reach young

“As a historian I have observed how, whenever womenleave the barricades, things slip back and we become

invisible again. As Frederick Douglass said, ‘There is onlyone way: Agitate, Agitate, Agitate.’ Every tool at our

disposal, whether it is the use of the performing arts, or avisual medium, or technology, should be utilized so that

women’s history will become as much a part of our lives asbrushing our teeth, so that people will know the Women’s

Declaration of Rights and Sentiments that states, ‘All menand women are created equal,’ as well as they know that

other Declaration of Independence.”

Dr. Barbara GoldsmithCommissioner

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 5

women...Focus on ways that womencan make a positive difference....”

Dr. Janet Hauber Math/Science Network

“Traveling exhibits which includeposters, postal cards and other memora-bilia...The exhibit should feature electronicmedia such as videos and interactive com-puter programs.”

Dr. Barbara WoodsAssociation of Black Women Historians

The Commission recommends creationof a traveling exhibit that tells the story ofwomen’s history and can be installed incommunities throughout the country dur-ing our millennial year. The exhibit will bemade up of panels that feature nationallyand locally prominent women in pictorialdisplays accompanied by their stories. Thenational women will be selected by a juryof professional historians and academics.Women from the local community will beselected by the exhibiting institution forinclusion in the display.

The Commission recommends buildingtwo versions of the exhibit. One will bedesigned for libraries or other limited pub-

lic spaces. Another version of the exhibitwill be specifically designed for children,with interactive features. We anticipatethat this exhibit would travel to local chil-dren’s museums.

To be selected to host the exhibit,local communities would be expectedto organize an inclusive, representativehost committee. We believe that theattention generated by this exhibit wouldalso encourage local celebrations thatwould feature the achievements ofwomen in these communities.

The traveling exhibits mightspend three weeks at eachlocation. Allowing a fourthweek for travel and set up, thetwo versions would reach 24 com-munities in one year and about 45communities if the exhibit were fundedfor two years.

We RecommendWrite and Distribute a How-To Community Handbook

“No community should talk about its his-tory, its past or its Founders Day withouttalking about the contributions of the women

who made life possible with better and bet-ter opportunity for everyone...Everycommunity has a local heroine even if theyhave not discovered her yet.”

The Honorable Louise SlaughterCongresswoman, Rochester, NY

Much of the work done by women,individually as volunteers and as mem-bers of clubs and organizations, hasoccurred in local communities.

Women founded libraries, hospi-tals, schools and parks, but

many women pioneers havegone largely unrecognizedbecause most local histor-

ical sites identify only the menwho lived there.

To increase awareness of the impor-tant roles local women have playedthroughout American history, theCommission recommends that a hand-book be published to guidecommunities in recognizing and cele-brating local women. The handbookcould describe in greater detail severalof the recommendations in this report.It should also include guidelines thatwould ensure the diverse and inclusive

nature of the project. Possible partnerships would include

sponsorship by the General Federationof Women’s Clubs and others who agreeto sponsor local celebrations and eventswith inclusive host communities. Theguidebook would be privately under-written and distributed through allorganizations and local officials partic-ipating in the local events.

We RecommendBuild a National Women’s HistoryUmbrella Website

We recommend the development of aninteractive website that would serve as anumbrella for women’s history sites.Regularly heard throughout theCommission hearings was the growingimportance of Internet technology in dis-seminating information. There is a growingarray of excellent women’s history sites,such as the Assumption College(Worchester, MA) U.S. Women’s HistoryWorkshop website (at http://www.assump-tion.edu/whw/). The Commissionrecognizes the value of an accessible, well-publicized site that would link to the large

6 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

number of sites already in existence orlikely to emerge. The Commission alsorecognizes that a centralized point of entrywill provide searchers with a gateway thatcan heighten interest in the subject,encourage academic collaboration andexpansion with minimal duplication andgenerally enrich the body of knowledge.

A recurring suggestion from numerousexperts in women’s history was the impor-tance of oral histories in telling the storiesof women in their own families and communities. Thus, the Commission rec-ommends a site that would feature oralhistories and links.

The proposed site would be a costly and time-consuming endeavor.However, given the interest of technol-ogy companies in this project, theCommission believes a technology part-nership could be created to sponsor andmaintain the site.

THE COMMUNITY AGENDA

WOMEN’S HISTORY IS EVERYWHERE:10 IDEAS FOR CELEBRATING

IN COMMUNITIES

1. We Recommend: Women Win the Right to Vote:Tell the Story of Suffrage in Local Communities

“I started looking inColorado, which is the firstplace on the planet where menvoted to give women the right tovote...So we went around and we didnot find one statue in the state forwomen. They had statues for buffaloes,covered wagons, you name it—but nothing for women.

“The courtyard of one of the majorbanks turned out to be the site of achurch where they met to organize thesuffrage movement in Denver—half menand half women. We went to see the headof the bank and said, ‘You are so fortunate,can you believe what historic grounds youare on?’ They were horrified...Finally

they agreed to a little plaque in thecourtyard. That is our big com-

memorative for women inColorado. That is embar-rassing.”

The Honorable Patricia Schroeder

Congresswoman (Ret.)

“I am here as a daughter, a grand-daughter, a sister, a niece, a wife, a mother,a grandmother....Only in the last four

years have I learned that Tennessee wasthe last state to ratify the 19th amendment,that my grandmother was the first womanin her county — Humphries County,TN— to vote in 1920, when my mother wasthree years old and my grandmother wasabout the age I am now!”

Linda MuirBellSouth

The year 2000 will mark the 80thanniversary of the passage of the WomenSuffrage Amendment to the Constitution—the greatest expansion of democracy ona single day in our history as a nation. For72 years, ever since that first conventionin Seneca Falls, NY, women in ever-increasing numbers worked to win thefull rights of citizenship. They went door-to-door asking for signatures on petitions.They stood on ladders on street corners

“In addition to celebrating the rich ethnic, racial, andreligious diversity of your community, why not celebrate

your local heroines—the women who made a difference inyour community—with an event that tells their stories and

leaves a permanent exhibit behind?”

Ellen LovellMillennium Communities Handbook

Published by the White House Millennium Council

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 7

and wagons parked at crossroads givingspeeches to anyone who would listen. They published their own news-papers, organized massive parades andprecinct-level political campaigns andpicketed the White House. They encoun-tered insults, ridicule, abuse and even jailto win the rights first promised in theDeclaration of Independence.

We recommend celebrating the millennial year by commemorating the80th anniversary of women’s suffrage.Local libraries can organize story-tellingsessions for children where local lead-ers can tell the stories of the brave womenand men who achieved the suffrage vic-tory. City officials can mark the spotwhere a suffrage meeting was held.Community groups can honor the lead-ers who organized the campaigns and thestate legislators whose votes made the dif-ference. The Commission believes thatthere is no better way to remember thevalue of our rights as citizens than to honorthe pioneers who made it possible.

2. We Recommend Find the “Hidden Women:”Develop Access and Archives

“A graduate student at a distinguishedEastern university was looking for diariesof rural New England women. She foundthem in a large box, uncatalogued andmarked ‘anonymous.’”

Mary Ellen HenryAmerican UniversityWashington, DC

“Many women’s historicactions and accomplishmentshave been lost over time. Theyremain uncollected, uncataloguedand unacknowledged. I stress the impor-tance of documenting, researching,collecting, preserving and organizing forretrieval historic facts, stories, memoirs,achievements, actions and accomplish-ments of women and making themaccessible to the public.”

General (Ret.)Wilma Vaught Women In Military Service For

America Memorial Foundation, Inc.

“The hidden women... women aboutwhom extensive material is actually heldbut [who] remain invisible because thematerial is contained in collections whosetitles do not indicate theirpresence...Yesterday one of the speak-ers remarked about the homes andbuildings of famous men, ‘there werewomen there too.’ The same can be said

even more forcefully about the papersheld in the nation’s archives.”

Ann NewhallThe National Historical

Publications and RecordsCommission

National Archives andRecords Administration

“As a biographer of the Founders of theUnited States and as a historian writingtextbooks for college students, I have beenconstantly frustrated by the difficulty oflearning about the lives of women inAmerican history.”

Dr. Will RandallChamplain College, VT

January 22, 1999

The Commission heard from manyspeakers—especially those with profes-sional expertise as librarians, preservationistsand archivists—about the need to allocateserious resources to the identification andpreservation of original material. Diaries,letters and other records enable scholars tostudy and document the history of women’slives, yet much of this material sits unmarkedand unnoticed. Such material could be thesource of valuable information that wouldopen history for all of us.

While we share the excitement of thenew work that is already underway in thefield of women’s history, we realize thatmore scholarship requires greater accessto original materials, more attention tofinding and appropriately cataloguingmaterial related to women and moremoney to make these discoveries acces-sible to the public.

“Eleanor Roosevelt was a prolific writer, a habit born ofthe last century, but her product describes the twentieth

century in personal terms. Unpacking her scatteredarchives will continue to reveal insights into our nation’s

history for decades and generations to come.”

Anna Eleanor RooseveltCommissioner

8 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

We recommend the use of supportingtechnology, such as the Internet, to facil-itate the cooperation among institutionsthat will make these materials accessiblein a useful form. We heard about severalcollaborative efforts to archive materials,but we also heard that institutions arereluctant to commit resources to cata-logue and digitize the material. Facsimilesof original documents can be availableeverywhere, for scholars and studentsalike, but only if the institutions with cus-tody of the materials make them available.

3. We RecommendDiscover/Preserve Women’s History:Establish Statewide Women’s History Initiatives

“Of more than 1,600 listings in theNational Register of Historic Places com-prising over 46,000 historic properties inGeorgia, fewer than 2 % are listed becauseof their association with women. Of 1,965Georgia historic markers, fewer than 70markers relate to women.”

Leslie SharpNational Register Program Coordinator

and Women’s History Initiative Coordinator Georgia Department of Natural Resources

“There were approximately 2,000national historic landmarks when westarted our project, and of those only

about 40 focus on women. We increasedit by 40, which means that we doubledit, but the downside is that still fewer than5% focus on women.”

Page Putnam MillerNational Coordinating Committee

for the Promotion of History

The state of Georgia has begun an excit-ing new Women’s History initiative tointegrate women’s history into exist-ing programs that record,document, interpret and pre-serve historic places. Theinitiative will identify and doc-ument historic places associatedwith women, reinterpret alreadyidentified historic places to reflect ourunderstanding of women’s history, andproduce publications, heritage educationprograms and guidebooks to increasepublic awareness.

This program, which began with aregional conference on women’s history and

historic preservation, has been funded bythe Georgia legislature. Work is now under-way to develop a document establishing thehistoric connection for women-related his-toric resources. The initiative will alsodocument at least five National Registernominations for women-related historic sites.

We commend Georgia’s leadership andrecommend that other states and local his-

toric preservation societies undertake similarprograms. If every state adopted

Georgia’s goal of identifying fivewomen-related historic sites, we

would add 250 sites in the mil-lennial year!

4. We RecommendHonor the Work of Women’s

Organizations:Build an Honor Roll of Local Volunteers

“So much of the important workthat women do, we do in groups,working together. We should not talk

about women’s history as if womenwere isolated from one another. Weprefer to work together, formingorganization and community-basedstructures.”

Katherine Tijerina

“Women have made history byempowering others. Women have vol-unteered, pioneered, raised money andorganized to improve schools, workplaces and communities.”

Jean Hunt Chicago Area Women’s History

Conference

“There are tremendously large numbersof women in our communities making adifference, addressing concerns and issuesof education, housing, the elderly, andthey make a difference...This needs to berecorded...Start at the grassroots level.”

Belen RoblesLeague of United

Latin American Citizens

An accurate portrayal of women’s his-tory will include recognition of theimportant role played by women work-ing together in groups. From the earliestdays of the Female Anti-Slavery Societies to Chicago’s HullHouse and today’s service organiza-tions, American women have organized

"As a Comanche woman, I understand the importance ofknowing the history of my ancestors and my community. I

also understand the importance of knowing thecontributions of every community, including my own, to theculture and accomplishments of American society and the

global society. One of the greatest benefits of being includedin history is to have a sense of who you are and to know that

you are a contributing member of a larger community."

LaDonna HarrisCommissioner

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 9

joint efforts to take on some of society’sgreatest challenges. Women’s organi-zations led the way in establishingpublic hospitals and public parks. Westarted libraries in new towns and estab-lished relief organizations for familiesin distress. From campaigns to win theright to vote to bake sales to fund chil-dren’s programs, women have alwaysbeen on the front lines. Individualwomen serving as volunteers have con-tributed thousands of hours to buildingour communities. Contemporary serv-ice organizations continue in that proudtradition.

We recommend that communityorganizations join together to iden-tify groups that made significantcontributions to the lives of their cit-izens and develop a communityhonor roll to memorialize both thegroups and their individual leaders.Follow the example of schools andhospitals that honor their largest finan-cial donors with plaques and add thenames of volunteers whose time andeffort make those institutions possi-ble. Examine the histories of localvolunteer organizations and the filesof local newspapers to find these

women and their hidden roles.

5. We RecommendCreate Community Women’s History Trails:Develop a Map of Local Women’sHistory Sites

“We are working with fourthand fifth graders, teachers,the principal, the PTA, theneighborhood association, theColorado Historical Society and acouple of local historians to create awomen’s history trail. Students are goingto do the research. They are going todecide which areas should be highlighted.They are going to publish a guide, andthey are going to lead tours of the neigh-borhood.”

Marsha Semmel Women of the West Museum

Creating history trails can bring historyto life in local communities. Trails maytrace the path of women’s firsts, i.e., thefirst school to admit women, the firstwoman doctor or newspaper publisheror engineer, the first woman elected tooffice. Local communities may have been

the site of a dramatic suffrage campaign,a clean milk campaign or a labor strikeled by women workers. Telling the sto-ries through a women’s history trail is aneffective reminder of the courage shownby those women pioneers.

We recommend bringing studentsto work on trail projects. Not only

will the community find asource of enthusiasticresearchers but it also will

ensure that young people areengaged. A history trail designed

by young people is likely to includeinformation that young people find inter-esting.

6. We RecommendCreate a City Space to Honor Women:Build a Women’s History Park

“In Yellow Springs, Ohio, population4,000, practically every public place —the streets the buildings, the parks, theschools — they’re all named for men. Sowe asked the Village Council for a parkto honor women. We wanted to honorall women — everyday women and out-standing women, past and present. OurVillage Council said ‘OK — if you design

it, help with the cost, get it installed.’ Andso we did.”

Gene TrolanderFounder, Women’s Park

Yellow Springs, OhioJanuary 15, 1999

Building women’s parks is a creativeand productive way to commemoratethe lives of local historical figures andhonor the women who live in the com-munity today. In Yellow Springs, Ohio,the Women’s Park was financed throughthe sale of tiles with the names of localwomen. These tiles, which honorwomen and their contributions to thecommunity, their service organizationsor their families, are incorporated intothe park’s design. The response to theYellow Springs Park has been so positivethat park organizers are now planningto produce a book featuring the womenon the tiles.

Another great example of women’sparks is the Hillary Rodham ClintonWomen’s Park in Chicago. This four-acregreen space was dedicated in October1997, in honor of the First Lady’s 50thbirthday. It is managed by a 15-mem-ber advisory council in the community.

10 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

We recommend that communities con-sider establishing women’s parks. Boththe informal organization of the YellowSprings Park and the more formally struc-tured Hillary Rodham Clinton Women’sPark bring elected officials and broad cross-sections of residents together to honorsome of their best-loved and mostrespected citizens.

7. We RecommendBuild a Cooperative Community Project:Design and Place Historic Markers

“Why not create a contest that chal-lenges young people to go out anddiscover the women whose names belongon those historic markers in their owncommunities?”

Linda WittWomen In Military Service for America

Memorial Foundation, Inc.

“Design a special marker that incor-porates Mrs. Clinton’s theme and place itprominently at all women’s history sites.”

Maxine ScarbroGreater Federation of Women’s Clubs

Designing and placing historic mark-ers can help raise the visibility ofwomen’s lives and their achievements.Every step of the process calls for publicparticipation—from researching, design-ing the markers, deciding where to placethem and finally arranging the ceremonyof actually affixing the markers.

We recommend that local govern-ments work with communityorganizations to sponsor historic markerprojects. Local historic societies,libraries, religious organizations andcounty and municipal clerks areespecially rich sources ofinformation about local his-torical events and sites.School children can learn abouttheir local communities by work-ing with these officials while becominginvolved in every aspect of the work. Bydesigning markers and researching sug-gested sites, children and their leaderscan take history beyond the textbook tothe places where women actually livedand worked. Adding markers to exist-

ing sites is also important in helping tomake all our historic celebrations moreinclusive by reminding us that womenlived there, too.

8. We RecommendEncourage Young People to Discover Women’s History:Include Youth in a Women’s History Project

“Celebrating women’s achievementsin American history needs to start in

the classroom because one ofthe things I’m angry about is

why it took me so long tolearn about so much when

I’m in college. There are somany women out there, so much

about them I didn’t know...why am I20 years old learning about it...whenthere was all the opportunity in the worldwhen I was in elementary school andmiddle school?”

Mashadi MatabaneSpelman College, GA

“I would go to the library every weekand check out the same book, ClaraBarton, who was the only woman onthe shelf.... I don’t want my nieceSarah, who’s one year old today, andmy niece Emily to go to school in thefourth grade and say, ‘Where are thewomen? There are no books aboutwomen on these shelves.’“

Lissa McLean

“Ignorance isn’t bliss. Think of all thewomen you’ve missed.”

The slogan suggested for themillennium by Samantha Claire

Girls Speak Out, Atlanta

Among the most frequent remindersmade by speakers to the Commission wasthe importance of reaching out and mak-ing women’s history accessible to youngwomen and men. College students andteachers told us there is a great deal of inter-est in women’s history at the college level,but students too often arrive at college withlittle or no awareness of that history.

Some of the most innovative projectsnow underway include efforts to engageyoung people as participants. The increasedattention to family tourism means that

"What we say captures what we mean and ourperception of reality. That is why I always note that in our

country, there are many heroes but there are also manyshe-roes, too."

Dr. Johnnetta ColeCommissioner

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 11

women’s history sites can become familydestinations. We are particularly glad tosee the growth of women’s history sites onthe Internet since technology is becomingthe medium of choice for young people.

The Commission recommends that mil-lennial planners incorporate at least onewomen’s history project that includesyoung people as planners, researchers,narrators and/or audience. Projectsdescribed elsewhere in this report, suchas developing local history trails, historicmarkers or finding hidden women in thearchives are excellent vehicles for involv-ing elementary and secondary schoolstudents.

9. We RecommendSupport Local Women’s History Institutions:Create or Host Exhibits About Women

“There are 8,000 museums in Americaand fewer than 10 have a female focus.Of the 2,000 National Park Service sites,fewer than 10 commemorate women.There are more women heads of muse-

ums in Islamic countries than in theUnited States and Europe combined.”

Cathy BonnerWomen’s Museum:

Institute for the Future, Dallas TX

“We want to introduce the public...tothe leadership of the Civil Rights strug-gle in San Francisco in the mid-19thcentury, to the potters of the Santa ClaraPueblo, and to the scientists at LosAlamos. At our museum, these womenwill take their places with the history-makers of today.”

Marsha SemmelWomen of the West Museum

Boulder, CO

A number of women’shistory museums are emerg-ing around the country. Whileevery community may not have theresources to establish a museum devotedto women’s history, the Commission rec-ommends that communities devote somepublic space to exhibits honoring local

women who contributed time and energyto the life of the community.

The national traveling exhibit rec-ommended earlier in this report maybecome a starting point for a perma-nent collection of stories about localwomen. Town halls, county courts andlocal libraries are excellent venues forthese exhibits, where the installationitself becomes a reason to celebratewomen in American history.Communities interested in hosting thetraveling exhibit may register their inter-est on the Commission’s homepage(www.gsa.gov/ staff/pa/whc.htm).

10. We RecommendWomen’s History Is About

Every Woman:Hold an All-Inclusive

Her-itage Celebration

“As you speak of African-American women, don’t put us in that

chapter all by ourselves....We areAmericans, and we are strongAmericans because African-American

women contributed more than we wereallowed at the time...We belong sideby side.”

Dr. Jane Smith National Council of Negro Women

“The British historian E.H. Carwas wrotethat ‘the great person is at once the rep-resentative and the creator of social forceswhich change the shape of theworld.’...Countless working women werebrave in exactly that way. What they rep-resented, what they did, has changed theshape of our world.

“Rosa Schneiderman, Mary KennyO’Sullivan, Florence Rood, MargaretHailey...in the name of the Hawaiian sugarcane workers, the Somerville laundryworkers, the millions of other women wewill never know, I urge you from the bot-tom of my heart to give working womenin American history the recognition theydeserve.”

Linda Chavez-ThompsonAmerican Federation of Labor -

Congress of Industrial Organizations

12 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

“I was at a recent program on women’shistory in Washington. It talked aboutwomen’s history but it did not include us.The answer was ‘well we didn’t haveenough facts in the last quarter of this cen-tury.’ So that meant for a quarter of acentury I didn’t exist as a person.”

Jeannie JewOrganization of

Chinese-American Women

“Just as gender provides a means ofexamining power relationships within ahistorical framework, disability similarlyrepresents power relationships... As awoman with a disability who has partic-ipated in political, social and culturaldevelopments that have changed theworld for people with disabilities, I thinkit is critical that we document the role thatdisability has played in the lives of menand women.”

Judith HeumanU. S. Department of Education

“One of the key rules is to be inclusive:[from] working women to the elite, reli-gion, race and ethnicity...If we know thewhite Prudence Crandall for her couragein educating blacks and the work she didfor African-Americans in Connecticut, weshould also mention the Haitian immi-grant Elizabeth Lang who in Baltimore inthe 1820s began the first school of youngwomen of color and who also organized

the first black congregation of Catholicwomen in 1829....”

Sister Dolores LiptakTrinity College

At every hearing and throughout ourcorrespondence, the Commission wasreminded of the diversity of ournation’s citizens and the importanceof respecting that diversity in all theprojects we recommend. Just as wewant to establish that the only accu-rate history is that which includes thelives and accomplishments ofwomen, we are also committedto the fact that the onlyaccurate representation ofwomen’s history is thatwhich includes the lives of allwomen.

The Commission recommends aher-itage millennial celebration that rep-resents the diversity within the localcommunity and focuses on the stories ofthe she-roes who brought their childrento build a new nation. Religious and serv-ice organizations can enlist the seniors

in their memberships to tell the storiesof their she-roines, of how their fore-mothers came to this country and whattheir own lives were like as children. Somany ethnic bazaars, fairs and paradesoccur across the country, but few aremulticultural and fewer focus on theaccomplishments of women outside thekitchen or the craft room. Capturing thememories of first-, second- and third-generation Americans can both docu-ment their contributions and build a richtapestry of memories about the women

who pioneered the community.

WOMEN’S HISTORY INTHE NATION’SCAPITAL

“Millions of schoolchildrenand adult visitors tour

Washington, DC, every year. Wehave monument upon monumentand museum upon museumglorifying our forefathers.Meanwhile the women’s movementhas had to fight for seven decades to

have one statue to commemoratesome of our foremothers placed inan honorable position in the capitol.With the new exception of EleanorRoosevelt, there are essentially nomonuments in the nation’s capitaldedicated to women.”

Eleanor Smeal The Feminist Majority

We RecommendDesignate a Washington, DC, Women’sHistory Site

“Washington, DC, is a town, that if some-one were to visit one hundred years fromnow and examine our monuments and his-toric sites, they would assume that the roleof women was of no consequence and noimportance to building this country.”

Christine Helen Grumm

“Of the 197 statues in the Capitol build-ing, only seven are of women.”

Karen Staser Founder

National Museum of Women’s History

At every hearing, the Commissionheard concern about the invisibility ofwomen in Washington, DC, especiallyamong the institutions dedicated to teach-ing and celebrating our nation’s history.The success of the National Museum ofWomen in the Arts and the enthusiastic

“ The story of America is one of journey and discovery - ofmany groups and individuals who shared common

dreams and challenges, even as their differences shapedour culture. The Hispanic community, itself of

wonderfully varied backgrounds, continues to contributeto every aspect of our society - and understanding America

means knowing and celebrating these stories.”

Dr. Ellen OchoaCommissioner

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 13

response to the new Women In MilitaryService For America Memorial are exam-ples of the support and interest that awaitserious representations of women’s realroles in our lives — the partnership of menand women that has built this country,sustained our families and communitiesand maintained the viability of ourdemocracy.

We applaud the visionary leadershipof the founders of new institutions thathave emerged in the last decade and havealready become part of the fabric of ourlives. By showing what can be done, theystand in stark contrast to almost all of ourother national memorials. That imbal-ance continues to be a source of concern.

We do not assume that remedying theimbalance between memorials that honormen and women will be easy. There arealready a large number of museums andmonuments in the capital competing forattention and resources with many oth-ers waiting in the wings. The difficultiesencountered in moving the statue of thesuffragist leaders out of the basement ofthe Capitol and the fact that the Suffrageexhibit at the Smithsonian’s Museum ofAmerican History is still designated as

temporary were cited by speakers beforethe Commission as examples of obstaclesto be expected. These very problems addemphasis to the importance of creating avenue that celebrates women’s history.

Thus, the Commission has concludedthat appropriate celebration ofwomen’s history in the next mil-lennium should include thedesignation of a focal pointfor women’s history in ournation’s capital.

Several solutions were suggestedincluding a partnership with an exist-ing museum or library or building upona current historical site. Anotherapproach is offered by the NationalMuseum of Women’s History, whosemission is to “preserve, display and cel-

ebrate the rich, diverse heritage ofwomen and bring it into the culturalmainstream.” Although it does not yethave a permanent facility, the Museumhas already begun to implement its mis-

sion by leading the move to bring thewomen’s suffrage statue into the

Capitol rotunda. They have alsolaunched a virtual museumin cyberspace with an

exhibit on the suffrage move-ment.

The Commission recognizes thecomplexity of designating one site.

However the focal point is chosen, werecommend that it serve as a destinationfor families who visit the capital to learnabout our nation’s history and be linkedthrough technology with sites and

resources around the country. A numberof speakers urged us to explore the use oftechnology in building collaborationsamong women’s historic sites; a nationalcenter for women’s history would be thelogical central point for such connections.Visitors to our Washington site could bevirtually transported to Elizabeth CadyStanton’s home in Seneca Falls or to anyof the women’s historic sites around thecountry. Their experience on a virtual his-tory trail might encourage them to travelto the real sites at their next opportunity.

We RecommendOrganize March 2000: A NationalCelebration

Many speakers before the Commissionraised the possibility of a national eventin March 2000 that would celebrate thechanges in women’s lives during the lastcentury and reaffirm our commitment toeven greater change and opportunity inthe next. Among the suggestions were afestival of art and music, an internationalassembly to assess the changes in thefive years since the United NationsConference on Women in Beijing and a

“My son’s history textbooks say that Indians brought ‘us’corn; blacks gave ‘us’ jazz; Chinese completed ‘our’

railroad and built ‘our’ bridges. When I was young, the fewAsian women appearing in the popular culture were lotusgeisha girls and dragon ladies...Today our children can

choose between contemporary forms of these oldstereotypes and absence of images...This Commission willcontribute to the vitally important work of remembering

buried histories.”

Dr. Elaine KimCommissioner

14 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

gathering of young women to makeplans for and compare ideas about theirfutures.

This celebration was viewed as agreat opportunity for women to cometogether in Washington, DC, for one ormore days. The Commission agrees thatobserving Women’s History Month inthe millennial year deserves a veryspecial celebration.

The Commission recommends thatthe National Women’s MillennialCelebration be inclusive and representthe broadest spectrum of diversity andissues that are important to women. Itshould also include local communitiesby virtual participation via the Internet,by interactive satellite broadcast orthrough simultaneous celebrations inthe cities and towns of America.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENTACTIVITIES

Recognition for the importance ofwomen’s history and the roles women playin today’s lives are reflected throughout thefederal government. As in the private sec-

tor, more women are working in the government in mid-level and senior man-agement positions than ever before.Women are starting new businesses andaccount for two-thirds of new businessventures. Women-owned businesses aredoing business with the government inrecord numbers.

Agencies of the Federal governmentand Congress have also begun pro-grams to recognize and advancethe contributions of women inAmerican history. Under theleadership of the HonorableSenator Chris Dodd, theHonorable Senator Ted Stevens and the Honorable CongresswomanLouise Slaughter, Congress authorized theWomen’s Progress Commemoration Actto recognize women’s history sites. Thefollowing descriptions give an indication

of the scope of projects currently under-way across the government.Millennium Council

The President’s Commission wasinspired by the First Lady’s concept forcelebration of the millennium with thetheme Honor the Past, Imagine the Future.The White House Millennium Councilwas created by the President and First

Lady to give every American anopportunity to participate in

meaningful activities to markthe new millennium, withprojects involving commu-

nities, elected officials andprivate citizens. Projects of the

Millennium Council so far includeSave America’s Treasures, a public-pri-vate partnership to preserve historic sites,documents, art and artifacts; a MillennialTrails program to create, extend or

improve over 2,000 recreational scenicand historic trails; and MillennialEvenings, a series showcasing the best ofAmerican culture and history that arebroadcast and cybercast from the WhiteHouse.

Under the Millennium Council’s newestproject, Millennium Communities, states,cities, towns, communities and NativeAmerican tribal councils will receive offi-cial designation by planning local projectsthat reflect the national theme Honor thePast, Imagine the Future. The handbook forthis program includes suggestions for cele-brating women’s history at the state and locallevels.

Department of Education“Expanding our teaching of history to

include examination of the roles and con-tributions of all women helps boys andgirls gain a better, more accurate sense ofwomen’s place in history, which in turnincreases the aspirations of all children.”

Judy Winston U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education isconsidering options for using computer

“On the outside of the beautiful new federal courthousein Boston we have carved in stone the words of Sarah

Grimke, the abolitionist daughter of South Carolina whowas criticized for daring to speak in public about the evils

of slavery: ‘Men and women are created equal. They areboth moral and accountable beings and whatever is right

for men to do is right for women.’ ”

David J. BarramAdministrator

U.S. General Services Administration

technology to assess current efforts thatincorporate women’s history in schools’curricula. Identifying these “promisingpractices” is the first important step towardencouraging the integration of women’shistory throughout all levels of educationacross the country.

The Department is also considering pro-posals for the development of curricula forteaching women’s history through theWomen’s Educational Equity Act ResourcesCenter. Grants will be available to thosestates that include women’s history in theirhistory standards. The Department willidentify the best methods to make thisinformation available to all schools throughthe Department’s website.

Taken together, these programs canintroduce women’s history into elemen-tary and secondary school education,thus ensuring that the rich diversity thatcomprises women’s achievements, con-tributions and life stories is included in allchildren’s education.

General Services AdministrationVenues for Women’s History Events and

Exhibits—As the manager and owner of8,300 Federal buildings across the United

States, GSA can accommodate women’shistory events and exhibits within its GoodNeighbor, Living Buildings and OutleasingPrograms under authority of the PublicBuildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976.Interested groups or organizations mayhold meetings, training sessions or lec-tures and display film, music, danceor art exhibits under this pro-gram. Additionally, throughGSA’s Public BuildingsHeritage Program, exhibits onhistoric buildings are placed in thelobbies of Federal buildings. A naturalextension of this project would be theinclusion of programs about women inAmerican history.

Clara Barton Historic House — Asthe real estate manager and developerfor the Federal government, GSA takescare to preserve all historical andsocially significant aspects of buildingsand construction sites. In 1997, GSA

discovered that a building in a devel-oping area of Washington, DC, wasClara Barton’s home and office from1861 to 1868. GSA preserved the his-toric building during renovations to thearea and turned over the archival mate-

rial —including many Civil Warperiod newspapers and other

documents —to the NationalPark Service for furtherstudy and preservation.

GSA established a websitewhere visitors can explore the

place where Clara Barton workedand lived, from the intimate scale of herliving space to a broad view ofWashington during the Civil War. Mostimportantly, GSA required developersto preserve Clara Barton’s home andwork space and interpret it for the pub-lic in a historically accurate way.

Incorporating Women’s Legacies inConstruction Projects — GSA’s court-

house construction program is the largestnew Federal building program since theNew Deal. In recent years, GSA hasmade a concerted effort to incorporatethe legacies of local women in con-struction projects. The exterior andlobby of the new U.S. Courthouse inBoston feature quotes hand carved instone on jurisprudence, justice and free-dom. Five of these quotes are bywomen.

Notably, the main entrance to theCourthouse features a quotation by LeilaJosephine Robinson on the administra-tion of justice. The quotation is takenfrom the legal brief Robinson wroteseeking, unsuccessfully, to be the firstfemale member admitted to the Bar ofMassachusetts:

“The best administration of justicemay be most safely secured by allow-ing the representation of all classes ofthe people in courts of justice.”

Inside the Courthouse a 4-foot by 30-foot Registry of Designers and Builders,lists all the people who worked on thebuilding. Approximately 5% of the2,600 names belong to Boston-areawomen in the construction and electri-

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 15

“When men went off to war, we honored them withmonuments in our buildings and town squares. No such

honor rolls herald the accomplishments of the women whofought poverty, disease and social injustice at home.”

Beth Newburger,Commission Co-Chair

16 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

cal trades.The Commission recommends that

communities take an active role in incor-porating local women’s legacies and workin these new landmarks by contactingSusan Harrison, director of GSA’s Art-in-Architecture program at:

U.S. General Services AdministrationArt-in-Architecture ProgramRoom 23081800 F Street, NWWashington, DC 20405susan.harrison@gsa.gov

National Archives and Records Administration

“As a direct result of the President’sCommission on the Celebration ofWomen in American History, we arepreparing to launch next year an innova-tive project to publish the papers ofEleanor Roosevelt!”

Ann NewhallNational Archives and Records

Administration

The National Historical Publicationsand Records Commission (NHPRC), thegrant-making agency affiliated with theNational Archives and RecordsAdministration chaired by Archivist ofthe United States John Carlin, will under-take a multi-dimensional project thatwill explore the work of EleanorRoosevelt as First Lady, proponent ofhuman and civil rights, and political fig-ure. By combining book, film andelectronic publications and using themost modern publication andtechnological media, theCommission expects tomake these important doc-umentary materials availableworldwide.

The Eleanor Roosevelt project willdraw on the experience of the NHPRC inthe Founding Fathers Project and otherefforts to make available the papers of some

of the foremost women in American his-tory, including Jane Addams, MargaretSanger, Emma Goldman, Elizabeth CadyStanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Another Archives publication—the “Our Mothers Before Us”teaching kit—provides schools withexact replicas of early Americanwomen’s petitions. School childrencan see for themselves how womenwho were denied the right to voteused petitions to build support for

such important goals as abolish-ing slavery, fair treatment for

American Indians and suf-frage for themselves.

The NHPRC is dedi-cated to ensuring access to

primary research material col-lected from many sources and

published under rigorous scholarly stan-dards. The Eleanor Roosevelt projectmarks a significant step forward in ensur-

ing that the voices of women and menwill join in telling the full story ofAmerican history.

NASANASA is developing a web exhibit

chronicling the achievements of womenin aviation and space during the 20thcentury and profiling women who, inthe 21st century, will turn science fiction into science fact. The last com-ponent of the exhibit will forecastfuturistic aerospace programs and pro-vide links to education and career sites.The first phase of the web exhibit willbe on-line by July 1, 1999.

As one element of a larger effort to doc-ument the history of spaceflight, NASA iscollecting oral histories of women whohave been associated with NASA in var-ious capacities. NASA will excerptportions for publication in a book, tenta-tively titled Herstories About SpaceExploration. Many of these oral vignetteswill be added to the web exhibit.

When Space Shuttle Columbia lifts offon July 9, 1999, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins

“Based on workplace demographics, retaining andadvancing talented women is critical to the success of

every business. But more than being the smart thing to do,it’s also the right thing to do.”

J. Michael CookCommissioner

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 17

will become the first woman to commanda space mission. To celebrate this historicmilestone, NASA will convene severaloutreach and educational events forwomen and girls that will take place atthe Kennedy Space Center, FL, culmi-nating in the shuttle launch. The agencyalso plans to convene numerous on-linementoring programs throughout the yearto allow students to interact with womenin various careers at NASA and withprominent women in America.

Library of Congress “What’s key about an event such as the

1913 Woman Suffrage Parade is that it chron-icles women’s history as well as reflects thelarger context of American history.”

Ralph EubanksLibrary of Congress Publishing Office

Specialists in 12 custodial divisions ofthe Library of Congress are collaboratingon an illustrated guide to the Library's vastresources on American women's history.This effort is being directed by the Library'sPublishing Office, with guidance from ateam of six leading scholars of women'shistory and culture. The guide willdescribe materials in many media, includ-ing books, newspapers, periodicals,broadsides, legal documents, prints, pho-tographs, films, sheet music, recorded

sound and songs, maps and folklife doc-umentation. This unprecedented effortwill be an invaluable tool for researchersof women's history, from biographers todocumentarians and filmmakers to socialand cultural historians. The guide is sched-uled for publication in the fall of 2000.

A CHALLENGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POPULARCULTURE

T he Commission agrees withall who testified to the needto do a better job of teaching

our children and ourselves aboutwomen’s history. Perhaps the mostpowerful means of telling thesestories is through the popular culture.

As the film A League of Their Own toldmillions of Americans about women play-ers in the national pastime, so there areopportunities to tell many other storiesabout women’s lives of she-roism andachievement. The winning of suffrage is

at once the achievement of a nation-wide campaign and a story filled with

drama. Women’s accomplish-ments translate into exciting

theater. Consider the storyof the last vote in the state leg-

islature of Tennessee when thefuture of suffrage was determined by

a young Harry Burns who listened to hismother, or Ida Wells Barnett, the news-paper editor who almost singlehandedlytook on the horrible practice of lynching,or Florence Wald founding the VisitingNurses, or Elizabeth Blackwell winningthe right to be a doctor.

The group Women in Theater, in LosAngeles, has already discovered the dra-matic potential in presenting the storiesof women in American history. Duringtheir March 6, 1999, celebration ofWomen’s History Month, they produced40 separate performances in a 12-hourmarathon of free theater in and aroundLos Angeles County. Organizer MiriamReed, herself a performer, hopes to seethis celebration become a regular annualMarch event “in every city and town ofthe United States—communities every-where recognizing the contributions ofwomen with performances that praisethem.”

The Commission urges our friends inthe media, who are thinking of plots formovie and television scripts and radioprograms, to consider the possibilitiesoffered by these dramatic events.Though a number of fine movies anddocumentaries have been produced inthe last 20 years, we believe that thesurge of interest we have found for somany other aspects of women’s historyrecorded in this report — from thegrowth in visitors to National ParkService sites to the construction of newmuseums — suggests that these storieswill find a receptive and appreciativeaudience.

"Young people, in the throes of creating an identity, areheavily influenced by the popular culture of the day. In

the 1800s and early 1900s, women turned to popularmagazines, where they encountered illustrations ofmotherhood and domestic bliss. Soon other visions

appeared. . . of glamorous women who reflected the sexualideal of the day. Bloomer Girls faded into Gibson Girlswho faded into Varga Girls, leaving no doubt about the

importance of good looks for young women and the joys ofkinder and kuche for mature women."

Irene Wurtzel Commissioner

18 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

WE RECOGNIZE

As the Commissioners havetraveled across the country insearch of ideas, we have

visited or heard from women who arebuilding new destinations or protectingexisting properties relating to womenand their contributions to American life.Following is a representative sample ofthe work in progress that will create thedocumentation of women’s history forthe 21st century. We commend thevisionary leaders who are at oncesaving America’s treasures and bringingwomen into the mainstream ofAmerican history.

Women of the West MuseumBoulder, CO

In the words of its CEO and DirectorMarsha Semmel, the Women of the West

Museum “is dedicated to taking Westernwomen’s history beyond Annie Oakley,beyond Sacajawea, even beyond thediaries of the pioneer women on theOregon Trail.”

As they seek a physical site for theirmuseum, the organizers are workingwith schools, community groups,local government and librariesto develop educational pro-grams, including a shortdocumentary film aboutwomen of the West, a lec-ture series, book discussiongroups and a webpage. Theyhave begun to develop women’s his-tory trails: “pathways of ordinarywomen and extraordinary womenacross time and across cultures thatgive families, tourists, school chil-dren, adults and neighborhoods a new way of understanding the

history that is in our back yard andalong the highway.”

Women’s Museum: Institute for the Future, Dallas, TX

Cathy Bonner, one of the founders ofthe Women’s Museum: Institute for the

Future, became focused on develop-ing this Dallas museum. They have

found a home for their museumin an old opera house andchose Dallas because

“directly in the middle of bothcoasts, it is the second largest con-

vention and tourist destination.” They are developing exhibits that

will include programs for people withvarying levels of knowledge of women’shistory, including an oral history reposi-tory. A major component of the work theyare doing is incorporating technology intoevery facet of their exhibits, developing

what Bonner calls an “electronic quilt.”The opening gala is planned forSeptember 2000.

Susan B. Anthony HouseRochester, NY

The Susan B. Anthony House, a NationalHistoric Landmark, was home to the famousactivist for the 40 most politically activeyears of her life. It was the site of Susan B.Anthony’s famous arrest for voting in 1872and headquarters of the National AmericanWoman Suffrage Association. In 1945, theSusan B. Anthony House was purchasedby a group of women to create a museum.By 1996, visits to the house increased byover 400% due to an expansion of the siteto include land around it, and due to a suc-cessful capital campaign. Every year,thousands visit the Susan B. Anthony House. In 1998, they opened a newEducation and Visitors’ Center.

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 19

Madame Walker Theatre CenterIndianapolis, IA

The Madame Walker Theatre Center isdedicated to nurturing and celebratingthe achievements, art forms, culture andhistory of African-Americans. Named forthe Theatre’s founder, Madame C. J.Walker, the Center provides a forum,through the arts, for appreciation andunderstanding of the great diversity thatstrengthens all Americans. The Centeroffers educational, performing arts andhumanities programs, and encouragespositive cultural experiences for childrenand adults. In the 1970s, the Walkerbuilding, which was a center of culture,entertainment and business from the1920s through the 1950s, faced demo-lition. However, a group of concerned

African-American citizens brought thebuilding back to life. The fully-restoredCenter is currently celebrating its 10thanniversary.

Paulsdale: Home of Alice PaulMt. Laurel, NJ“The saving of Paulsdale isabout more than preservinga site. It is the story of theawakening of a group ofwomen to our own history andthe importance of that history as asource of individual and collectiveempowerment,” said Barbara Irvine ofthe Alice Paul Centennial Foundation.Volunteers have worked for 11 years tosave Paulsdale, the former home ofAlice Paul, a strategist of the suffrage

movement who organized the firstpicketing of the White House, formedthe National Women’s Party and wrotethe Equal Rights Amendment. Paulsdalewas designated a National Historic

Landmark in 1991, and plans areunderway for the site to serve as a

leadership center for womenand girls and to providespace for women’s history

exhibitions and programs.

Sewall-Belmont HouseWashington, DC

The Sewall-Belmont House is one ofthe oldest houses in Washington, DC,as well as the historic headquarters ofthe National Women’s Party and aunique museum celebrating the

struggle for women’s rights.Designated a National HistoricLandmark in 1974, it incorporates300 years of American history. In1929 Alva Belmont purchased thehouse and garden for the NationalWoman’s Party. Suffragist Alice Paullived in the house for more than 40years, making the Sewall-BelmontHouse a “beehive of activity” forwomen’s rights. The site includeshistoric furnishings and fine arts, oneof the earliest feminist libraries andan extraordinary collection ofsuffragist banners, newspapers,journals, photographs, politicalcartoons and rare historic artifactsand archives.

20 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

APPENDIX

COMMISSION MEMBERS

President's Commission on theCelebration of Women inAmerican History

Ann Lewis, Co-ChairWashington, DCCounselor to the President. Former White House Director ofCommunications. Former VicePresident for Public Policy at thePlanned Parenthood Federation ofAmerica. Led study group on GoingFirst: Women as Leaders inContemporary Politics for HarvardUniversity's Institute of Politics at theKennedy School of Government.

Beth Newburger, Co-Chair Washington, DCAssociate Administrator forCommunications, U.S. General Services Administration. Publisher, Washington WomanMagazine, founder of threetechnology companies, executive atthe Washington Post and the NewRepublic Magazine. Winner ofseveral community service awards.

Dr. Johnnetta B. ColeAtlanta, GAPresident Emerita, Spelman Collegeand Presidential DistinguishedProfessor of Anthropology, Women'sStudies and African American Studiesat Emory University. Author.Received numerous awards,including honorary degrees from 41colleges and universities and the firstEleanor Roosevelt Education Awardon the 75th Anniversary of theWomen's National Democratic Club.

J. Michael CookGreenwich, CTChairman and CEO of Deloitte &Touche. Chairman of the Board ofGovernors of the United Way ofAmerica and Chairman of the Boardof Catalyst, the nation's leadingorganization for the advancement ofwomen in business.

Dr. Barbara GoldsmithNew York, NYAuthor and social historian. Hasreceived three doctorates andnumerous awards for four best-sellingbooks emphasizing the lives of women.In 1998-99 Other Powers: The Age ofSuffrage, Spiritualism and theScandalous Victoria Woodhull hasreceived three major awards. Also, Ms.Goldsmith is a national leader in thepreservation and conservation of ourcultural heritage and served on thePresidential Commission for

Preservation and Access. She writes forThe New Yorker and the New YorkTimes.

LaDonna HarrisBernalillo, NMPresident of Americans for IndianOpportunity. Founding member ofthe National Urban League andCommon Cause.

Gloria T. JohnsonCamp Springs, MDPresident of the Coalition of LaborUnion Women, Chair of the IUEWomen's Council and Director of theUnion's Department of Social Action.Elected a Vice President of the AFL-CIO in 1993, the second African-American woman to hold thatposition. Received NAACP's FirstAnnual Pathway to Excellence Award"Women of Labor."

Dr. Elaine H. KimBerkeley, CAAuthor, film producer, and Professorof Asian-American Studies andComparative Ethnic Studies andAssociate Dean of the GraduateDivision at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley. Co-Founderand Member of the Board ofDirectors of Asian Women United ofCalifornia and Co-Founder of AsianImmigrant Women Advocates.

Dr. Ellen OchoaHouston, TXMission Specialist Astronaut at theNASA Johnson Space Center. Hasreceived numerous awards, includingseveral NASA Space Flight Medalsand the Albert Baez Award forOutstanding Technical Contributionto Humanity from Hispanic EngineerNational Achievement Awards.

Anna Eleanor RooseveltChicago, ILExecutive Director of the BrainResearch Foundation, an affiliate ofthe University of Chicago. FormerDirector of the Mayor's Office ofProgram Development for the City ofChicago. Chair of the RooseveltWarm Springs Foundation and VicePresident of the Franklin and EleanorRoosevelt Institute in New York.

Irene WurtzelWashington, DCPlaywright, freelance writer andteacher of play writing. Winner of theMargo Jones Play Writing Award, theJane Chambers Award for outstandingwoman playwright and a Cine Awardfor a documentary film script on thehistory of the American labormovement. Former Chair of theBoard of the Family and Children'sTrust Fund of Virginia, a commissionaimed at preventing domesticviolence and child abuse in Virginia.

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 21

COMMISSION MEETING VENUES

July 16, 1998 Canandaigua, NYOntario County Court HouseJudge Henry Courtroom

September 25, 1998 Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque Museum

October 19-20, 1998, Chicago, ILChicago Cultural Center Claudia Cassidy Theatre

November 12-13, 1998 Washington, DCDepartment of State East Auditorium

December 10, 1998Berkeley, CAWest Coast Fact-Finding SessionsUniversity of California, BerkeleyBarrows Hall

January 22, 1999Atlanta, GAMartin Luther King, Jr., National

Historic Site

SPEAKERS

ALBUQUERQUE

Evelyn Lance BlanchardIndian Welfare Activist/GraduateStudent, American StudiesUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM

Dr. Veronica E. TillerPresident, Tiller Research, Inc.Author - Tiller’s Guide to Indian

CountryAlbuquerque, NM

Bridgid O’FarrellVisiting ScholarWomen’s Research & Education

InstituteWashington, DC

Molly Murphy MacGregorCo-FounderNational Women’s History ProjectWindsor, CA

Millie SantillanesCivic Activist, Retailer Author - Nuestras MujeresAlbuquerque, NM

Karen K. StaserFounder and PresidentNational Museum of Women’s HistoryWashington, DC

CHICAGO

Cathy BonnerPresidentBonner Inc.Founder, Women’s History Museum:Institute for the Future, Dallas TXAustin, TX

Christine Helen GrummExecutive DirectorChicago Foundation for WomenChicago, IL

Norma L. SeledonDirectorMujeres Latinas en AccionChicago, IL

Jean S. HuntFounder & Former PresidentChicago Area Women’s History

ConferenceChicago, IL

Valerie Tyler-EvansConsultantOracle CorporationChicago, IL

Ronne HartfieldExecutive Director, Museum EducationArt Institute of ChicagoChicago, IL

Cece LobinsFormer Director and Community

LiaisonCommission on Human Relations

Advisory Council on WomenChicago, IL

Yolanda Farkas HallCoordinatorWomen and Labor History ProjectChicago, IL

Ruth Z. Sweetser Assistant Dean, Business & Industry

Relations,Graduate CollegeIllinois Institute of TechnologyLombard, IL

Nancy S. ChenRegional AdministratorWomen’s Bureau ChicagoU.S. Department of LaborChicago, IL

Eileen R. MackevichPresident and Executive ProducerChicago Humanities FestivalChicago, IL

Peggy A. MontesChair, Cook County Commission on

Women’s IssuesChicago, IL

Wilma L. VaughtBrigadier General USAF (Ret.)PresidentWomen In Military Service For

America Memorial Foundation, Inc.Washington, DC

Brook M. WisemanExecutive Director and CEOGirl Scouts of ChicagoChicago, IL

Lynn Y. WeinerProfessor of History and Associate

DeanCollege of Arts and SciencesRoosevelt University ChicagoChicago, IL

Amina J. DickersonDirector, Corporate Contributions Kraft Foods, IncNorthfield, IL

Mary B. Richardson-LowryCommissionerDepartment of BuildingsCity of ChicagoChicago, IL

WASHINGTON

Dorothy Ruth FerrellNational Woman’s PartySewall-Belmont HouseWashington, DC

Edith MayoCuratorial Consultant National Museum of Women’s

HistoryWashington, DC

Sister Dolores LiptakPresidentArchivist, Congregation for Women’s

ReligionTrinity CollegeWashington, DC

Sarah LarsonExecutive DirectorReston Historic Trust for CommunityRevitalizationReston, VA

Dr. Page Putnam MillerDirectorNational Coordinating Committee forthe Promotion of HistoryWashington, DC

Barbara IrvineFounding President and FoundationTrustee, Alice Paul Centennial

Foundation, Inc.Chair, Capital Campaign Committee Mt. Laurel, NJ

Maxine S. ScarbroPresidentGeneral Federation of Women’s

ClubsCharleston, WV

The Honorable Pat SchroederPresident and CEOAssociation of American PublishersWashington, DC

Mary Ellen HenryDepartment of History U.S. Naval AcademyAnnapolis, MD

Dr. Roya Ayman DirectorIndustrial Organizational ProgramInstitute of TechnologyChicago, IL

Roberta PiletteAssociate Chief for Preservation

TreatmentNew York Public LibraryNew York, NY

Susan Bianchi-SandChair, National Council of Women’s

OrganizationsWashington, DC

Mary Lou BeattyActing Director of Communications

PolicyNational Endowment for the

HumanitiesWashington, DC

Eleanor SmealPresident Feminist Majority FoundationWorking for Women’s EqualityWashington, DC

Dr. Jane SmithPresident, National Council of Negro

Women, Inc.Washington, DC

Marsha SemmelDirector and CEOWomen of the West MuseumBoulder, CO

Rev. Imagene B. StewartNational PresidentAfrican-American Women’s ClergyAssociationWashington, DC

Dr. Cynthia HarrisonOrganization of American HistoriansHistory Department and Women’s

Studies DepartmentGeorge Washington UniversityWashington, DC

22 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THECELEBRATION OFWOMEN INAMERICANHISTORY 23

Dr. Janet HauberResearch ScientistProgram Manager of the Nuclear

Cities InitiativeU.S. Department of EnergyWashington, DC

Elise BryantSenior Staff Associate George Meany Center for Labor

StudiesWashington, DC

Linda WittResearch FellowWomen In Military Service ForAmerica Memorial Foundation, Inc.Arlington, VA

The Honorable Louise SlaughterU.S. House of RepresentativesCongresswoman Rochester, NY

Ellen LovellDeputy Assistant to the PresidentAdvisor to the First Lady forMillennium ProgramWashington, DC

Karen NussbaumDirectorWorking Women DepartmentAmerican Federation of Labor andCongress of Industrial OrganizationsWashington, DC

Ann NewhallExecutive DirectorNational Publications and RecordsCommissionNational Archives and Records

AdministrationWashington, DC

Betty DooleyPresidentWoman’s Research and EducationInstituteWashington, DC

Belen RoblesPresident and CEOBelen Robles and AssociatesFormer PresidentLeague of United Latin AmericanCitizens El Paso, TX

WEST COAST SPECIAL FACT-FINDING SESSION PARTICIPANTS

Faculty

Barbara ChristianAfrican-American StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Wanda CornArt HistoryStanford UniversityPalo Alto, CA

Loni DingFilm/Chinese American StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Estelle FreedmanHistoryStanford UniversityPalo Alto, CA

Rosalinda FregosoWomen’s StudiesUniversity of California, DavisDavis, CA

Ines Hernandez-AvilaNative American StudiesUniversity of California, DavisDavis, CA

Evelyn Nakano GlennWomen's Studies/Asian-American

Studies, University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Waldo MartinHistoryUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Melinda MiccoHistoryMills CollegeOakland, CA

Laura Perez,Spanish/Chicano StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Raka RaySociologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Luara RossNative American StudiesUniversity of California, Davis Davis, CA

Mary RyanHistoryUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

24 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Jane SinghAsian-American StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Ula TaylorAfrican-American StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Khatharya UmAsian-American StudiesUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Gradute Student Participants

Karina CespedesVernadette GonzalezEungie JooPriya KandaswamySara KaplanJodi KimSusan K. LeeSandra LiuMimi NguyenEliza NohIsabelle PelaudRowena RoblesMary RomeroAmy SadaoIrum ShiekhHarriett SkyeCaroline StreeterBeatriz TapiaAngelina VillafaireKathy Yep

ATLANTA

Coretta Scott KingMartin Luther King, Jr., Center For

Nonviolent Social Change, Inc.Atlanta, GA

Linda Chavez-ThompsonExecutive Vice-PresidentAFL-CIOWashington, DC

Elizabeth EngelhardtGraduate Student, Women’s StudiesEmory UniversityAtlanta, GA

Ali P. CrownDirectorEmory Women’s CenterEmory UniversityAtlanta, GA

Judy HeumanAssistant Secretary of EducationOffice of Special Education and

Rehabilitative ServicesU.S. Department of EducationWashington, DC

Dr. Vera RubinObservational AstronomerMember, Association for Women in

ScienceWashington, DC

Leslie SharpNational Register Program CoordinatorWomen’s History Initiative

CoordinatorHistoric Preservation DivisionGeorgia Department of Natural

ResourcesAtlanta GA

Anita PattersonChair, Coalition of Black Trade

Unionists National Women’s CommitteeAtlanta, GA

Dr. Barbara WoodsPresident, Association of Black

Women HistoriansProfessor, South Carolina State

UniversityColumbus, SC

Nellie D. DukeChairGeorgia Commission on WomenAtlanta, GA

Imogen TrolanderOrganizer and DeveloperYellow Springs Women’s ParkYellow Springs, OH

Jeannie JewNational PresidentOrganization of Chinese-American

WomenBethesda, MD

Linda T. MuirDirector, Legislative and Regulatory

MattersBellSouth CorporationAtlanta, GA

Suzanne McDermott Singer, writer, guitarist, painterCharleston, SC

June Griffin Bill of Rights Bicentennial CommissionMedal of Honor winnerDayton, TN

Mashadi Matabanc Senior, Women’s StudiesSpelman CollegeAtlanta, GA

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY 25

Edith Mayo Curatorial Consultant National Museum of Women’s HistoryWashington, DC

Dr. Allida M. BlackHistorianMember, Board of DirectorssEleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-KillWashington, DC

Dr. Will Randall Visiting Professor John Cabot UniversityRome, ItalyFaculty, Champlain CollegeBurlington, VT

Dr. Nancy NahraVisiting Professor of HumanitiesJohn Cabot UniversityRome, ItalyFaculty, Champlain CollegeBurlington, VT

Rosemarie Garland ThomsonAssociate Professor of EnglishHoward UniversityWashington, DC

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We extend our thanks to the women and men who traveled across the country attheir own expense to present their ideas to this Commission. Their thoughtfultestimony shaped the concepts in this report. Their enthusiasm confirmed our owncommitment to bring women into the mainstream of American history.

Commissions cannot accomplish their missions without competent staff. Ours wasbeyond compare. Ruby Shamir kept superb records and minutes with inordinatepatience. Martha Davis juggled our schedules and made our arrangements so wewere able to work effectively. April Kaufman understood our message andconveyed it so well to the press. Andy Black, Jill Newburger and Johnny Youngdesigned and produced our final report with style and grace. Cindy Gilbert handledthe inevitable changes with efficiency and humor.

Our appreciation goes to Gwen Berlin, Director, Art in Embassies Program, U.S.Department of State, for graciously hosting us at the East Auditorium, U.S.Department of State.

For Dave Barram, Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration, our veryspecial thanks for recognizing the importance of honoring America's women inhistory and providing GSA's support for this Commission.

Finally, our enormous gratitude to President William Jefferson Clinton for his vision andcommitment to the work of this Commission and to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clintonfor her inspirational words at the beginning of our journey to discover our foremothers.Together, we have learned how to honor our past and present this report to you withhope that the future we imagine will include women as equal partners.

Ann Lewis & Beth NewburgerCo-Chairs

26 PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Office of the Press Secretary(Hong Kong, PeopleÕs Republic of China)

ForImmediate Release July 2, 1998

EXECUTIVE ORDER

- - - - - - -

PRESIDENTÕS COMMISSION ON THE CELEBRATIONOFWOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTO RY

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the UnitedStates of America, including the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C.App.), and in order to celebrate the role of women in American history, it is herebyordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment. There is established the PresidentÕs Commission on theCelebration of W omen in American History (ÒCommissionÓ). The Commission shall becomposed of not more than 11 members appointed by the President from the public andprivate sectors. The public sector members shall include such persons as the Presidentdeems appropriate, including (a) the Assistant to the President and Director ofCommunications and (b) a person recommended by and who shall be the representative ofthe Administrator of General Services. The President may designate two members as Co-Chairs of the Commission. The private sector members shall represent entities interestedin the CommissionÕs work on American history, particularly the history of women inAmerica. These entities may include, but need not be limited to, academic institutions,business entities, labor organizations, public interest organizations, arts and humanitiesinstitutions, State and local governments, athletic groups, and organizations devoted tocivil rights and opportunities for minorities and women. The private sector members shallnot be considered special Government employees.

Sec. 2. Functions. (a) The Commission shall make recommendations to the President,through the Co-Chairs of the Commission, on ways to best acknowledge and celebrate theroles and accomplishments of women in American history. Recommendations mayinclude, among other things, the feasibility of a focal point for womenÕs history located in

W ashington, D.C., and the use of the latest technology to connect existing and plannedwomenÕs history sites, museums, and libraries.

(b) The Commission shall meet to carry out its work concerning the celebration ofwomen in American history.

(c) The Commission shall report its recommendations, through the Co-Chairs of theCommission, in a final report to the President by March 1, 1999.

Sec. 3. Administration. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall, to theextent permitted by law and where practicable, provide the Co-Chairs of the Commissionwith such information with respect to womenÕs history in America as the Co-Chairs mayrequest.

(b) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation for their work on theCommission. While engaged in the work of the Commission, members appointed fromthe private sector may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu ofsubsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in Governmentservice (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).

(c) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, theGeneral Services Administration shall provide the Commission with funding,administrative services, facilities, staff, and other support services necessary for theperformance of the functions of the Commission. W ith respect to the Commission, theAdministrator of General Services shall perform the administrative functions of thePresident under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, except that ofreporting to the Congress.

(d) The Commission shall terminate 60 days after the submission of its final report.

WILLIAM J. CLINTO N

THE WHITE HOUSE,June 29, 1998

“Women of all races have been far more

influential in America’sstory, particularly in terms

of the nation’s moraldevelopment, than is

revealed in most of thehistory books.”

Coretta Scott King

“Thisis the century

that women havetransformed!”

Betty Friedan

“Men have been faithful in noting

every heroic act of theirhalf of the race, and now itshould be the duty as well

as the pleasure of women tomake for future generationsa record of the heroic duty

of the other half.”

Susan B.Anthony