LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim March 2015, as Women's History Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, March is Women's History Month; and
WHEREAS, March 8th is International Women's Day; and
WHEREAS, Each year New York State officially sets aside time to recog-
nize the unique contributions that women have made to New York and its
society; and
WHEREAS, New York State has a distinguished history of monumental
achievements in the area of women's rights; and
WHEREAS, In 1826, New York State opened one of the first public high
schools for girls resulting in a future for women in which they were no
longer confined to the home, a future in which they were educated and
able to use this education to better their social and economic status;
and
WHEREAS, In 1848 in New York, the first women's rights convention was
held at Seneca Falls to secure for all women the right to vote; and
WHEREAS, In 1903, The Women's Trade Union League of New York was
formed to represent working women, later becoming the nucleus for the
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union; and
WHEREAS, In 1918, one year after New York guaranteed women the right
to vote in all elections, the first two women, Ida Sammis and Mary
Lilly, were elected to the New York State Legislature; and
WHEREAS, In 1967, Muriel Siebert became the first woman to own a seat
on the New York Stock Exchange, opening the door for women to gain posi-
tions of greater economic power; and
WHEREAS, In 1970, New York City was the site of the first Women's
Strike for Equality in which 50,000 people marched for equal rights; and
WHEREAS, In 1968, New York State Assemblywoman Shirley Chisholm became
the first black woman elected to Congress and in 1972, she ran for Pres-
ident of the United States, another first for black women; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, New York State women legislators established the
Legislative Women's Caucus to improve the participation of women in all
areas of government, support issues that benefit women and provide a
network of support for women in the State Legislature; and
WHEREAS, New York has been the home of many extraordinary women who
have led society to a better future: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B.
Anthony led the campaign for women's suffrage; Sojourner Truth spoke out
for the abolition of slavery and for suffrage for women; suffragist
Carrie Chapman Catt became the first president of the League of Women
Voters; Emma Willard opened the first endowed institution for the educa-
tion of women; Civil War surgeon Dr. Mary E. Walker was the only woman
ever awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; Harriet Tubman was an
abolitionist who led slaves to freedom by way of the Underground Rail-
road; in the 19th century, Elizabeth Blackwell and Belva Lockwood were
the first women in the fields of medicine and law; pioneer birth control
educator and advocate Margaret Sanger established a research center in
New York City; Emma Goldman founded the Free Speech League which led to
the American Civil Liberties Union; humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt
served as United States Delegate to the United Nations; civil rights
lawyer and New York State Senator Constance Baker Motley became the
first black woman to sit on the U.S. District Court in New York, and so
many more known and unknown women who championed rights and opportunity
for all; and
WHEREAS, New York State has hosted many conventions, campaigns and
events of the Women's Rights Movement from the 1848 convention at Seneca
Falls to the 1999 Berkshire Conference of Women Historians which was

held to improve the status of women in history and in the historical
professions; and
WHEREAS, Today, 51 women serve in the New York State Legislature,
holding leadership positions in both houses and bringing the diverse
experiences of women into law and public policy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2015, as Women's
History Month in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York, and to the Legislative Women's Caucus of New York State.