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2023 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTIO N 16
March 10, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives DITTRICH, SUBECK, SAPIK,
ANDRACA, DUCHOW, BILLINGS, ROZAR, CABRERA, RODRIGUEZ, CONLEY, NEDWESKI,
DRAKE, HURD, EMERSON, VANDERMEER, HONG, SCHUTT, JACOBSON, MYERS,
NEUBAUER, ORTIZ-VELEZ, PALMERI, RATCLIFF, SHANKLAND, SHELTON, SINICKI,
STUBBS and VINING, cosponsored by Senators BALLWEG, L. JOHNSON,
CABRAL-GUEVARA, AGARD, FELZKOWSKI, HESSELBEIN, ROYS and TAYLOR.
Referred to Committee on Rules.
Relating to: proclaiming March 2023 as Women's History Month.
Whereas, American women of every race, class, and ethnic background have
made historic contributions to our nation in countless recorded and unrecorded
ways; and
Whereas, the Wisconsin Legislature granted property rights to married women
in 1850; and
Whereas, in 1869, the first women graduated from the University of Wisconsin.
This same year, the Wisconsin Legislature passed a law allowing women to run for
school boards and other elective school offices, though they could not vote in school
board elections until 1884; and
Whereas, in the campaign for Women's Suffrage, Wisconsin produced notable
suffragists such as Olympia Brown of Racine, Clara Bewick Colby of Madison, Carrie
Chapman Catt of Ripon, Jessie Jack Hooper of Oshkosh, Ada James of Richland
Center, and Belle Case La Follette of Baraboo; and
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Whereas, Wisconsin is part of the original 36 states to ratify the 19th
Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides, “The right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or
by any State on account of sex," and holds the distinction of being the first state to
ratify, on June 10, 1919, and formally certify its ratification papers in Washington,
D.C.; and
Whereas, in July 1921, after decades of campaigning by women for voting and
other rights, Wisconsin passed the nation's first women's equal rights law, declaring
“Women shall have the same rights and privileges under the law as men," including
“holding office"—affirming women's right to hold any public office; and
Whereas, a 1923 survey of Wisconsin cities and villages by the University of
Wisconsin's Municipal Information Bureau identified more than 400 women in
public office, of whom approximately half sat on school and library boards and who
also included Wisconsin's first female mayor, county supervisor, sheriff, nine
alderwomen, 12 village trustees, and dozens of clerks and treasurers; and
Whereas, in 1925, three women, Representatives Mildred Barber of Wausau,
Hellen Brooks of Caloma, and Helen Thompson of Park Falls, were the first female
assembly representatives to be elected to the Wisconsin Legislature; and
Whereas, Wisconsin amended its own constitution in 1934 to include women's
suffrage; and
Whereas, in 1983, the Wisconsin Women's Council became a permanent state
agency governed by a bipartisan board appointed by the governor and legislative
leaders; and
Whereas, in 2023, a total of 41 women took their seats in the state assembly and
senate, the most ever in Wisconsin history; and
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Whereas, the role of American women continues to evolve, and their positive
contributions to our culture, society, and government continue to grow and inspire
future generations; and
Whereas, throughout the history of the United States, whether in their homes,
in their workplaces, in schools, in the community, in the courts, or during wartime,
women have fought for themselves, their families, and all people of the United
States; and
Whereas, since the American Revolution, women have been vital to the mission
of the Armed Forces, with nearly 2,000 Wisconsin women serving on active duty and
over 30,000 women veterans from Wisconsin representing every branch of service;
and
Whereas, American women have played and continue to play a critical
economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of life and constitute a significant
portion of the labor force working inside and outside the home, with women now
representing approximately half of the workforce of the United States and owning
more than 10,000,000 businesses; and
Whereas, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, women are at the helm of
about 18 percent of all employer firms located in Wisconsin; and
Whereas, the women of Wisconsin have been and continue to be leaders in the
forefront of international affairs, social change efforts, education, journalism,
literature, art, film, technology, math, science, athletics, and other fields including,
but not limited to: Golda Meir, who grew up in Milwaukee, was the Prime Minister
of Israel from 1969-1974; Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberian president, Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, who attended school in Madison, was the first female head of state
of any African country; Vel Phillips, a woman of many firsts, was the first Black
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woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, the first woman
alder elected to the Common Council of Milwaukee, the first woman judge in
Milwaukee County, the first African American to serve in Wisconsin's judiciary, and
the first woman elected as Wisconsin's Secretary of State; Dickey Chapelle was the
first female American war correspondent to parachute with American troops and the
first killed covering combat; Electa “Wuhwehweeheemeew" Quinney was
Wisconsin's first public schoolteacher; Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the “Little
House” book series, hails from Pepin; Lorraine Hansbury, playwright for A Raisin in
the Sun was the first Black woman to have a play produced on Broadway; Georgia
O'Keeffe of Sun Prairie is a major American artist of the 20th century who developed
a unique approach to abstract painting that reflected the landscapes around her; and
Bonnie Blair is a world record-holding speed skater, a six-time Olympic medalist,
and the most decorated woman in Winter Olympic history; and
Whereas, despite the advancements of women in the United States, much
remains to be done to ensure that women realize their full potential as equal
members of society in the United States; and
Whereas, National Women's History Month recognizes and spreads awareness
of the importance of women in the history of Wisconsin and the United States; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the month of March
2023 shall be designated as Women's History Month.
(END)
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