Celebrate International Women's Day!

Today millions of women around the world are celebrating International Women's Day, a holiday with roots in the global women's rights movement of the early 20th century. 

According to the IWD Web site, the very first National Women's Day was celebrated in the U.S. on February 28, 1909, by the Socialist Party of America. Its intent was to support garment workers, who had launched a protest for better working conditions in 1908.

German socialist Clara Zetkin first proposed an International Women's Day to amplify the call for women's voting rights and better working conditions, during the 1910 International Conference of Working Women. The more than 100 representatives assembled unanimously voted with her to create the observance, which is now an official holiday in more than two dozen countries, including China and Russia. The holiday has inspired women around the world to launch demonstrations for peace and political movements, including the 1917 Russian Revolution.

And in 1977, a group of women who established the National Women's History Project chose International Women's Day, March 8, as the "focal date" for their declaration of women's history week. According to the NWHP Web site: "The selection was based on wanting to ensure that the celebration of women's history would include a multicultural perspective, an international connection between and among all women, and the recognition of women as significant in the paid workforce."

While there is no global IWD theme, the United Nations marks this year with the theme "Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all." In the U.S., Women@IBM have chosen the theme: Success in the Globally Integrated Enterprise. Whatever the theme, this day provides an opportunity to focus attention not only on women's past achievements, but on the future of women's rights on a national and global scale.

Michigan celebrations include:

Governor Jennifer Granholm's 2010 International Women's Day Proclamation

Kalamazoo Celebration of International Women's Day

Zonta Club of Gaylord Golden Hug Award

Oakland University International Women's Day celebration

International Women's Day at Eastern Michigan University

Metro Detroit Asian Organizations International Women's Day celebration March 20