Northwest Missouri State University is commemorating Women’s History Month with a series of activities that include lectures and exhibits featuring women, a movie screening and its annual recognition of “Influential Women of Northwest.”

In a continuation of its 2020 theme, Northwest again is celebrating in March with the national theme of “Valiant Women of the Vote.” Local women’s suffrage activities will be highlighted with an exhibit throughout the month in the B.D. Owens Library and a special suffrage presentation.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Boardroom, members of Sigma Alpha Iota will perform historic suffrage songs, and Associate Professor of History Dr. Elyssa Ford will discuss how women fought for the vote in Nodaway County.

“We often think about women’s suffrage as a liberal, urban movement, but women in Maryville formed suffrage clubs, invited national speakers to visit northwestern Missouri, and even traveled to D.C. to protest,” Ford said. “It is truly an incredible story that changes our understanding of rural women and activism.”

To recognize the inclusion of transgender identities in Women’s History Month, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host a screening of “Disclosure” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, in the Student Union Boardroom. The 2020 film examines the depiction of trans people and identities in film and television. The screening will be followed by a discussion of the film and its message.

Northwest will also host Kathryn Nuernberger at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, as part of the University’s Visiting Writers Series. Nuernberger is a Missouri poet who has written about grief, desire and motherhood, and her most recent project examines topics from torture to midwives. The public is invited to join her presentation virtually.

Northwest’s reception and recognition of “Influential Women of Northwest” caps the month’s activities at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, in the Student Union Boardroom. The Northwest community is invited to nominate female students, faculty and staff at Northwest who have positively influenced lives and made outstanding contributions to the University community. Nominations must be submitted by the end of the day Monday, March 15, by visiting www.nwmissouri.edu/diversity/whm/.

National Women’s History Month was founded in 1987 when the U.S. Congress declared that it be celebrated each March. A presidential proclamation is issued annually to honor the achievements of American women.

A complete list of Northwest Women’s History Month activities is accessible by clicking this link, all events are free and open to the public unless noted. Some events also may be viewed virtually on the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s Facebook page.

The activities are sponsored by the Office of the Provost, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Missouri Gold, the Women’s History Month Advisory Board, Sigma Alpha Iota, First Ladies Organization, as well as the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; the Department of Language, Literature and Writing; and the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.

For more information about Women’s History Month activities at Northwest, contact Ford at ebford@nwmissouri.edu.