Chicago is celebrating Women's History Month by holding special events throughout the month and recognizing the pivotal contributions women have made to the city.
“Women's History Month offers us the opportunity to commemorate generations of trailblazing women and their contributions to our nation,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) wrote in a March 1 tweet. “Join me in recognizing the achievements women from Illinois have made over the course of American history.”
A wide range of events are planned throughout the month to honor and celebrate women in fields such as the arts, theater and cuisine, according to Choose Chicago.
Although countless women have made their mark in the city, Choose Chicago mentions Jane Addams, cofounder of Chicago’s Hull House, and Ida B. Wells, who advocated for racial equality and established the city’s first Black kindergarten, as two important figures.
Prominent women in history date back to the late 1600s with Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695), the first feminist author in the new world, and the late 1700s with Kitihawa Point du Sable (1788-1818), Chicago's founding woman and wife of Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable, according to Chicago.gov.
Other influential women include Maria Tallchief (1925-2013), the first Native American prima ballerina, Margaret Hie Ding Lin (1888-1973), one of Chicago’s first Chinese physicians and founder of a free clinic in Chinatown, and Jane Byrne (1933-2014), the first woman to be elected as Chicago's mayor, just to name a few.
Throughout the month, Chicago will be holding various events to in celebration of women and their contributions to the city. Bronzeville Winery hosted an International Women’s Day Wine Dinner on March 6. The International Women’s Day Market at Lincoln Square/Ravenswood will take place this year on Sunday, March 12. The award-winning play "Fen," written by playwright Caryl Churchill and directed by Vanessa Stalling, was shown at Court Theatre through March 5. Many other events will be taking place, and a full list can be found on Choose Chicago's website.
Another way to honor women throughout Women's History Month is to support local businesses owned by women, including: Brown Sugar Bakery, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, Justice of the Pies, First Sip Cafe, Women and Children First Bookstore, Scratch Goods, Volumes Bookcafe and many more.