Women's History Month: Celebrate Women's History

In 1992, Carol Moseley Braun became the first African-American woman elected to the Senate. Braun worked as an assistant US attorney and was then elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1978. Braun's background includes health care advocacy, education reform, and gun control. In 1992, Braun ran against Senator Alan Dixon in the Democratic primary - she was unhappy with his support of Clarance Thomas's Supreme Court nomination. Despite her low funding, Braun won an upset against Dixon and eventually the Illinois Senate seat. In addition to her many accolates, Braun is known for her fight to eliminate the Confederate flag from the design patent for the United Daughters of the Confederacy. "Carol Moseley Braun"

Ruth Benerito attended college at 15 in New Orleans. She received a bachelor's in chemistry in 1935 (Tulane), a master's in physics (Tulane), and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1948 (University of Chicago). She worked for the US Department of Agriculture for 33 years during which time she received 55 patents. Most notably, Benerito invented the chemical treatment that makes cotton fibers less likely to wrinkle and then also improved the process so that the chemical treatment had less of a negative environmental impact. In 2002 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. "Benerito, Ruth"

Mathematician and Aerospace Technologist Josephine Jue worked for over 30 years at NASA. After receiving her B.A. in mathematics, Jue applied to NASA in 1963. While most women who applied at the time were hired for clerical work, Jue was one of the few hired to work behind-the-scenes on computers and software within the space agency. Jue also was active in the Federal Women's Program and American Federation of Government Employees. After the lunar program, Jue's work was essential in moving NASA forward to a new age of spaceflight, including the "development and testing of the avionics for the Space Shuttle Orbiter." Towards the end of her career, Jue ensured NASA was providing all employees with work stations and desktop computer training.  "From the Till to the International Space Station" 

Kathrine Switzer, a Syracuse University journalism student, signed up to run the Boston Marathon in 1967 as K.V. Switzer - at the time, there was no rule that kept women from running the race; however, there was an unspoken understanding that women did not sign up to run the Boston Marathon. Switzer began the race, but at the four mile mark, Jock Semple, the race organizer, entered the race from the sidelines ad tried to grab her bib number while screaming at her. Her boyfriend, who was running with her, kept Semple from accosting her, and Switzer fnished the marathon becoming a national symbol for women runners. After the 1967 Boston Maraton, Switzer became an advocate for women in sports and blazed the way for women to run marathons, inspiring many women to become distance runners. "Kathrine Switzer: #261"

There is much to celebrate in the news surrounding women, Women's History Month, and International Women's Day!

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