International Women's Day

Known originally as “National Woman’s Day” it was first proposed by Theresa Malkiel and loosely based on the urban legend commemorating a protest by women garment workers in New York City, on March 8, 1857.

On March 19, 1911, International Women’s Day was officially marked for the first time.  More than one million people celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.  Women demanded the right to vote, to fight against sex discrimination in the workplace, and to hold public office.