There are countless women artists in music that have made a massive impact on culture and entertainment. But what about some of the women behind the scenes many of us do not see? What about the women who have overcome adversity to become leaders in their field or heads of major record labels?
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we take a look at some of the most influential executives and managers in music, both past and present. Here’s a tribute to some of the women who smashed the glass ceiling.
A Brief History of Women’s History Month
The roots of Women’s History Month date back to 1911 and the first celebration of International Women’s Day. Since then, many activists and advocates have continually pushed Congress to recognize the achievements of women in the United States.
Through a lot of hard work and perseverance, International Women’s Day eventually turned into Women’s History Week in 1982. Following that accomplishment, the official Women’s History Month website states, “Throughout the next five years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as ‘Women’s History Week.’ In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, which designated the month of March 1987 as ‘Women’s History Month.'”
Congress then continued to pass resolutions between 1988 and 1994 that authorized the President to proclaim every March as Women’s History Month. Beginning in 1995, every sitting President of the United States has issued an annual proclamation celebrating Women’s History Month.
People can celebrate Women’s History Month year-round thanks to WomensHistoryMonth.gov. The website is supported and run by a number of notable organizations and groups. Those organizations and groups include the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Archives, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Park Service and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
