2025 -- S 0597
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
RECOGNIZING MARCH 8, 2025, AS "INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY", AND THE
MONTH OF MARCH AS "W OMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ", IN THE STATE OF RHODE
ISLAND
Introduced By: Senator Lori Urso
Date Introduced: March 04, 2025
Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration
WHEREAS, International Women’s Day is a global observance of the social, economic, 1
cultural and political achievements of women, marking a call to action to accelerate gender 2
equality, and to honor the contributions of women worldwide; and 3
WHEREAS, International Women’s Day was launched in Western Europe in 1911, as a 4
day to rally for the rights of women to work, to vote, to be trained and to hold public office, and 5
to end discrimination against women; and 6
WHEREAS, International Women’s Day was recognized by the United Nations in 1975, 7
and has since become an annual occasion to uplift and empower women and girls, to honor their 8
achievements and to safeguard their futures, to promote and lobby for women’s equality and 9
rights, and to showcase organizations that prioritize the well-being of women; and 10
WHEREAS, In 2025, we celebrate the 114th observance of International Women’s Day, 11
adopting the annual theme “Accelerate Action,” and a call to step forward in solidarity to help 12
accelerate equality for the 4 billion women and girls in the world, 170 million of whom comprise 13
half the population of the United States; and 14
WHEREAS, In 2025, we continue the fight for equal pay for women in the United States, 15
to end discrimination, violence, and oppression against women and girls worldwide, to pursue 16
policies that protect the health and human rights of women, and to promote the participation of 17
women in every aspect of government, business, the U.S. Military, society and community; and 18
WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island, one of the original 13 colonies, founded on 19
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principles of diversity and soul liberty, the first to declare independence from Great Britain, and 1
the birthplace of American Industry, counts among its earliest settlers two independent woman, 2
Mary Dyer and Anne Hutchinson, key figures in the history of religious tolerance in the New 3
World; and, 4
WHEREAS, Prior to European contact, the land to become known as Rhode Island was 5
home to three powerful 17th century female sachems of the Indigenous Tribes: Weetamoo of the 6
Pocasset Wampanoag, Awashonks of the Sakonnet, and Quaiapen of the Narragansett; and, 7
WHEREAS, Throughout our history, the State of Rhode Island has been enriched by the 8
legacies of many of its female citizens, among them: 9
(1) In the 18th century, Hannah Wilkinson Slater of Pawtucket, the wife of Samuel 10
Slater, who was granted the first U.S. Patent awarded to a woman in the United States for her 11
invention of 2-ply cotton sewing thread, thereby launching the thread manufacturing industry in 12
Pawtucket, and who co-founded the first Sunday School in America, and founded a Beneficent 13
Society for Women in Rhode Island; and 14
(2) In the 19th century, Kady Brownell of Providence, who served as color bearer under 15
Colonel Ambrose Burnside in the 1st Rhode Island Infantry in the Civil War, participating in the 16
First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, and reenlisting into the 5th RI Infantry at the Battle of New Bern 17
in 1862, and who was the only female ever to receive discharge papers from the Union Army; and 18
(3) In the 20th century, Isabelle Florence Ahearn O’Neill of Woonsocket, the first woman 19
to serve in the Rhode Island General Assembly, having been elected to the House in 1922, and 20
the Senate in 1930, the first women to hold a leadership position in this Chamber, who 21
championed the hiring of women in law enforcement, prohibiting gender discrimination in the 22
teaching profession, formally recognizing women’s cosmetology professions, and protecting 23
women through the creation of life estates in the homes of their husbands; and 24
WHEREAS, The theme for 2025 Women’s History Month is “Mov ing Forward 25
Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” which beckons us to carry forward the 26
lessons and experiences of the women who came before us and who serve as examples of the 27
potential of women to serve their communities with dignity, intellect and resolve, earning the 28
respect of all citizens; and 29
WHEREAS, Women’s History Month was recognized in 1987, having advanced from 30
the original national celebration of Women’s History Week, so declared by Congress in March 31
1981; and 32
WHEREAS, The Rhode Island State Senate, with 17 women among its 38 current 33
members, desires to carry forward these traditions, and to encourage all citizens to learn about the 34
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contributions of women to the history of our state and nation, and to encourage those who seek to 1
make their own history as leaders who chart a path forward for the betterment of all citizens; now, 2
therefore be it 3
RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby recognizes March 8, 4
2025 as “International Women’s Day” and the month of March as “Women’s History Month” in 5
the State of Rhode Island; and, be it further 6
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 7
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel J. McKee, Governor of 8
the State of Rhode Island. 9
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