KDHX contacted me in February with an idea: To feature women in history with short 1 minute biographies, aired during Women’s History Month. They wanted to honor women from Missouri and Illinois because, being in St. Louis, their listening area covered both states. I was asked if I was interested in writing a few brief biographies. I eagerly agreed.
The ten women I chose to write about are women whose actions are so far-reaching that we still feel them today. Women who were faced with choices– play it safe, or take risks and change the world. I immediately thought of women who inspire me, like Jane Addams, who began the field of social work, and Virginia Minor, whose actions directly impacted the suffrage movement.
I see a lot of programs in March focused on contemporary women as venues of empowerment. While there is no doubt that these women are important, and worthy of being recognized, I can’t help but be excited for those events in March that keep the History in Women’s History Month. When we stop honoring the women who came before us, we ignore the lives that made it possible for us to even discuss contemporary women’s issues today. That is why KDHX’s program to honor women of the past was so refreshing. If you’re in the St. Louis area, check them out at 88.1 FM. If you’re outside the area, listen to them at www.kdhx.org or visit the Women’s History Month podcast page and listen to some inspiring stories of women in the past.
Missouri Women 