House Concurrent Resolution 109 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY MADDOX and MASCHER 1 3 A Concurrent Resolution designating March 2004 as 1 4 Iowa Women's History Month. 1 5 WHEREAS, Iowa women of every race, class, and 1 6 ethnic background have made historic contributions to 1 7 the growth and strength of our state and nation in 1 8 countless recorded and unrecorded ways, including 1 9 through the struggle for women's rights; and 1 10 WHEREAS, Iowa women have played and continue to 1 11 play a critical economic, cultural, and social role by 1 12 constituting a significant portion of the labor force 1 13 working inside and outside the home despite being 1 14 underpaid; and 1 15 WHEREAS, Iowa women were particularly important in 1 16 the establishment of early charitable, philanthropic, 1 17 and cultural institutions in our state and nation; and 1 18 WHEREAS, Iowa women and men finally amended the 1 19 Constitution of the State of Iowa to provide that "All 1 20 men and women are, by nature, free and equal, and have 1 21 certain inalienable rights ..."; and 1 22 WHEREAS, Iowa women have been leaders in the 1 23 abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the 1 24 industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, 1 25 the peace movement, and the women's suffrage movement, 1 26 which have created a more fair and just society for 1 27 all people; and 1 28 WHEREAS, despite these contributions, and those of 1 29 women throughout the world, the role of women has been 1 30 consistently overlooked and undervalued in the 2 1 literature, teaching, and study of history; NOW 2 2 THEREFORE, 2 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE 2 4 SENATE CONCURRING, That the General Assembly 2 5 designates the month of March 2004 as Iowa Women's 2 6 History Month and invites the citizens of Iowa to 2 7 continue to uncover the roles women have played 2 8 throughout history. 2 9 LSB 6348HH 80 2 10 kh/sh/8