In 1987, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, which designated March as Women’s History Month. You can recognize this event in your classroom with primary source Women’s History Month activities on Formative that help students get diverse perspectives on the role of women in society and why it’s important to fight for—and respect—their rights.

• 7 speeches from influential women
• 5 letters and articles about women’s issues

[7 speeches from influential women](id-speech)

Let students discover the inspiring words of influential women who fought for equality with the full text of the following speeches:

1. Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?”

Sojourner Truth was a former enslaved person who escaped to freedom in 1826. She then became an activist for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery. In 1851, she gave her “Ain’t I a Woman” speech to the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention, which discussed her views on both topics.

2. Susan B. Anthony’s “Women’s Rights to the Suffrage”

Susan B. Anthony was a women’s rights activist of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1872, she illegally voted in the U.S. presidential election and was fined $100 for her actions. Instead of paying, Anthony gave speeches to fight for women’s rights.

3. Florence Kelley’s views on child labor and women’s suffrage

Florence Kelley was a youth and women’s activist who dedicated her life to social reform. She led the National Consumers League and pushed for shorter workdays and better pay for laborers. In 1905, she gave a speech denouncing child labor practices and advocating for women’s suffrage.

4. Amelia Earhart’s “A Woman’s Place Is in Science”

Amelia Earhart was a pioneering pilot. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean by herself and the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In 1935, two years before she went missing, she made a radio broadcast about women’s role in science fields.

5. Gloria Steinem’s testimony on the Equal Rights Amendment

Gloria Steinem is an author and activist. In 1970, she spoke before the Senate and advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment, which enough states hadn’t yet ratified to become a national law. 

6. Shirley Chisholm’s “For the Equal Rights Amendment”

Shirley Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and writer. In 1968, she became the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1970, she addressed her fellow Congress members about the Equal Rights Amendment.

7. Kamala Harris’ vice president-elect acceptance speech

In 2020, Kamala Harris became the first woman, Black woman, and woman of Indian heritage to be elected vice president. She gave an election night acceptance speech thanking voters and looking ahead to the future.

[5 letters and articles about women’s issues](id-letter)

Aside from speeches, many people throughout history wrote letters and articles to express their views on women’s roles and rights. Students can explore the full text of these primary sources from a variety of voices:

1. Abigail and John Adams’ letters on women’s rights

The second President of the United States, John Adams, and First Lady Abigail Adams discussed women’s rights following the American Revolution. Abigail urged him to consider women when making laws for the country, but John treated her request as a joke, highlighting the limited rights and respect women received in Colonial America. 

2. Alexis de Tocqueville’s views of American wives

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French historian who visited the United States in the early 1800s to study the country’s culture. In his book, “Democracy in America,” he reflected on his observations about American women—particularly wives compared to single women.

3. Sarah M. Grimké’s letter on women’s role in society

Sarah M. Grimké was a writer and early supporter of the women’s suffrage movement. As she became more involved in civil rights activities, Grimké wrote to Mary S. Parker, president of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society, to express her views on equality.

4. Queen Liliuokalani’s protest letter to President McKinley

Queen Liliuokalani was the last royal leader of the Hawaiian Islands. In 1887, a group of foreigners called the Hawaiian League overthrew the government and tried to take the Hawaiian nation for the United States. Liliuokalani wrote a letter to President William McKinley protesting this takeover.

5. Gertrude Weil’s letters on women’s suffrage

Gertrude Weil was a prominent North Carolina suffragist. In 1920, she wrote two letters urging women to support the state’s ratification of the 19th Amendment and then offering consolation to suffragists when that didn’t happen.

Create engaging Women’s History Month activities with Formative

The Formative Library has a variety of free, pre-made activities developed by our curriculum experts and educators like you. You can use these templates as-is or customize them to fit your instructional needs. Use the library’s sort filters to browse content by subject and grade level to find what you want.

Create your own activity if you don’t see a template that matches your instructional needs! Log into your Formative account and choose how to customize your lesson or assessment. You can create new slides with various multimedia, including audio and video, import content from Google, or enhance a PDF or existing document.

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