Women's History Month Programs

The National Women's History Month Theme

National Women's History Alliance

In celebration of Women's History Month 2024, the parks of National Capital Parks-East, namely: Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, and Fort Washington Park, are offering programming related to this year's National Women's History Theme of "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion", while also still observing the National Black History Theme of "African Americans and the Arts".

 

Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt

Bethune-Cookman University

An Unlikely Alliance: The Friendship of Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt

RESCHEDULED for Friday, March 22nd | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS
1318 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005

Take a closer look at the friendship of TWO first ladies—Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt!

Join us as author, historian, and adviser to Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dr. Allida Black, shares never-before heard stories of the relationship between these two American heroines.

The program will include music on the piano in the parlor and special house tours.

Reservations Required. RSVP at [e-mail] to reserve for in-person and to view online.

 

WACs at Fort Washington Park

NPS Photo

From Washerwomen to WACs

Saturday, March 16th | Program at 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Tours at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm

Fort Washington Park
13551 Fort Washington Road
Fort Washington, MD 20774

Celebrate Women’s History Month by learning about the history of the US Army at Fort Washington from a woman’s perspective. Get a close look at Civil War-era laundry supplies and a footlocker from a Women’s Army Corps (WAC) member during World War II. Talk with staff and volunteers about the role of women in the Army from the American Revolution onward! 

Guided tours of the fort will occur at 11:00 and 2:00 and focus on the role of women in Fort Washington’s history.

 

Mary McLeod Bethune and female officers during World War II

Public domain

Mary McLeod Bethune and the Women's Army Corps

Saturday, March 23rd | 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS
1318 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005

Explore the little-known history of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) through an open house style program that features the history and Mary McLeod Bethune’s role as a recruiter for African American units of the WAC.

The program will also feature hands-on exhibits, short ranger talks, displays on the WACs, and NCNW member, Dovey Johnson Roundtree, who was recruited by Mrs. Bethune to serve as an officer in the WAC.

 

Mary McLeod Bethune, Vivian Carter Mason, and others sit and watch a musical performance in Washington, D.C., ca. 1940s

Robert H. McNeill

Mary McLeod Bethune and Black Washington: In Focus

Saturday, March 30th | Open House at 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Talk at 1:00 pm

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS
1318 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005

Join Susan McNeill, daughter of famed DC-based photographer, the late Robert H. McNeill, as she discusses her father’s legacy as a go-to photographer of well-known greats in the nation’s capital, including women like Mary McLeod Bethune, Mary Church Terrell, Dorothy Height, and more!

During the open house, guests are welcome to view photos taken by Robert H. McNeill, listen to period jazz music played on the piano in the historic home’s parlor, take a house tour, and see the site’s new exhibits.

Reservations Required for McNeill’s talk at 1:00 pm. RSVP for the talk and to view online at [e-mail].

 

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Mary McLeod Bethune, and others are visiting George Washington Carver Hall, a men's dormitory for African Americans in Washington, D.C., ca. May 1943.

Corbis Images

Additional Resources

Each year, a national Women's History Theme is selected by the National Women's History Alliance. The 2024 National Theme is: "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion". For more information on the theme, visit here.

Every March during Women's History Month and throughout the year, the National Park Service and our partners share stories, rich culture, and an invitation for all Americans to reflect on women's history in parks and communities across the country. Learn more here.

Click here to view the the White House's Presidential Proclamation on National Women's History Month 2023.

 

Be sure to follow the Historic Homes and Fort Washington Park of National Capital Parks-East on Social Media throughout Women's History Month for interesting content! #FindYourPark #WomensHistoryMonth #NACEHistoricHomes #MaryMcLeodBethune #BlackWomensHistory #FortWashingtonPark

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS
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Frederick Douglass NHS
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