A Brief History of International Women's Day
March 8 marks International Women's Day- a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. But how did it come about and when did we start to celebrate it? The marking of International Women's Day dates back to the early 1900s, a time where radical ideas including women's rights grew in popularity. Around this time, strikes and marches for women's rights became an increasingly common occurrence particularly in Britain and America. Clara Zetkin (left) & Rosa Luxemburg on their way to the SPD Congress. Magdeburg, 1910 In 1909, the Socialist Party of America declared 28 February National Women's Day and this was celebrated across the United States. This day was celebrated annually on the last Sunday of February until around 1913. A year later, Clara Zetkin, the leader of the Women's section of the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutchschlands proposed the idea of an International Women's Day at the C...
