“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

-Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005), U.S. Congresswoman

March is Women’s History Month, a month-long celebration of women’s journey toward equality. Women demanding voting rights and better pay led to the first U.S. Women’s Day in 1909. The local government of Sonoma County, California, established the first Women’s History Week in 1978, and by 1980, President Jimmy Carter declared National Women’s History Week. Congress passed a law in 1987 making March Women’s History Month.

The National Women’s History Alliance selects an annual theme, and this year’s theme is Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future to honor and celebrate the women who are leading efforts to ensure long-term environmental, economic, educational, and societal sustainability.

To celebrate the contributions of women in U.S. history, consider reading these nonfiction books:

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan (2013) The story of women from Oak Ridge, Tennessee who played a part in the building of the atomic bomb.

The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin (2023): Hardin tells the story of how drug addiction destroyed her soccer mom life and how she fought to survive to become a famous ghostwriter.

107 Days by Kamala Harris (2025): Vice President Harris takes the reader into her 107-day race for the presidency.

We the Women:  The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O’Donnell and Kate Andersen Brower (February 2026). From the Revolutionary period to the present day, the authors challenge the traditional narrative and highlight the untold stories of women who helped forge a nation.

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”

— Dolly Parton, singer, songwriter and philanthropist

Look for books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.

Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to inspire you to become one, too. For more recommendations or to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.

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