Senate Resolution No. 439

BY: Senator STEWART-COUSINS

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
March 2025, as Women's History Month in the State of
New York, recognizing the invaluable contributions
of women in all aspects of society

WHEREAS, March is Women's History Month, and each year New York State
officially sets aside time to recognize the unique contributions that
women have made to New York State and beyond; and

WHEREAS, New York State has a distinguished history of monumental
achievements in the area of women's rights; and has long been at the
forefront of the women's rights movement, leading the nation in
legislative and social advancements for gender equality; and

WHEREAS, The social and political leadership of women has
strengthened our democracy, from the abolitionists who fought for the
freedom and racial equality of all Americans and the suffragists who
fought for the 19th Amendment in 1920 to modern-day leaders shaping
policy and governance at all levels; and

WHEREAS, Throughout history, women have played an integral role in
shaping politics, education, science, law, medicine, business,
technology, literature, arts, and sports, breaking barriers and driving
progress despite systemic obstacles; and

WHEREAS, Recognizing Women's History Month provides an opportunity
to highlight, honor, and celebrate the vital and extraordinary
achievements of women past and present, ensuring that their stories are
included in our national and state narratives and serve as inspiration
for future generations; and

WHEREAS, Breaking barriers in education, Emma Willard opened the
Troy Female Seminary in Troy, New York in 1821, the first endowed
institution for the education of women, expanding opportunities for
women's academic advancement; and

WHEREAS, In 1848 in New York, the first women's rights convention
was held at Seneca Falls to secure for all women a number of civil
rights including the right to vote, access to education, property
ownership, and legal rights; and

WHEREAS, Racial justice has been a crucial and ongoing fight within
the women's rights movement, as women of color have historically faced
both gender and racial discrimination; and Sojourner Truth, an
abolitionist and civil rights advocate who challenged racial and gender
inequality, spoke out for the abolition of slavery and suffrage for all
women, famously delivering her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech in 1851; and
Harriet Tubman, a courageous abolitionist, led enslaved individuals to
freedom through the Underground Railroad during the 1850s and 1860s,
ultimately settling in Auburn, New York, where she continued her
humanitarian work; and

WHEREAS, Pioneering advancements in education and medicine,
Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the United States to earn
a medical degree in 1849 from Geneva Medical College in New York, paving
the way for women in medicine; and Dr. Mary E. Walker, the first female
United States Army surgeon in 1863, was awarded the Congressional Medal
of Honor in 1865, becoming the only woman in U.S. history to receive
this distinction; and

WHEREAS, Belva Lockwood became the first woman to argue a case
before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1880, advocating for women's rights in
the legal profession; and

WHEREAS, Ida B. Wells, a journalist, civil rights activist, and
former resident of Brooklyn, fought for social, economic, and racial
equality for African Americans and all women while co-founding the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in
1909, highlighting the intersection of civil rights and women's rights;
and

WHEREAS, Between 1911-1919, Madam C.J. Walker, an African American
entrepreneur and former resident of Harlem, became the first woman of
any race to become a self-made millionaire due to the success of her
hair care products and the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company; and
furthermore, Madam C.J. Walker's Mansion, Villa Lewaro, located in
Irvington, New York, is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and stands as a symbol of optimism, perseverance, and the
resilience of the American entrepreneurial spirit; and

WHEREAS, In 1917, New York guaranteed women the right to vote in all
elections and in the following year the first two women, Ida Sammis and
Mary Lilly, were elected to the New York State Legislature and became
the first women to then serve in 1919; and

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were two of
many women leading the campaign for women's suffrage throughout the
mid-to-late 19th century, advocating for the right to vote, which
culminated in the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920; and Maud Wood
Park became the first national president of the League of Women Voters
in 1920, helping to establish an organization that continues to empower
voters and defend democracy; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Sanger, a pioneer in birth control education and
advocacy, opened the first birth control clinic in the United States in
Brooklyn in 1916, leading to the establishment of the Birth Control
Clinical Research Bureau in New York City in 1923; and

WHEREAS, Eleanor Roosevelt, a humanitarian and diplomat, served as
the United States Delegate to the United Nations from 1946 to 1952, and
played a pivotal role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights in 1948; and

WHEREAS, Rhoda Fox Graves, in 1934, became the first woman to be
elected to the New York State Senate; she served from 1935 to 1948,
sitting in the 158th, 159th, 160th, 161st, 162nd, 163rd, 164th, 165th,
and 166th New York State Legislatures; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, Bessie Buchanan was the first African-American
woman to serve in the New York State Legislature; and


WHEREAS, Constance Baker Motely, a Civil rights lawyer and the first
Black woman elected to the New York State Senate in 1964, was appointed
to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in
January 1966, by President Lyndon B. Johnson and was confirmed by the
United States Senate in August 1966, making her the first Black woman to
serve as a federal judge in the United States; and

WHEREAS, In 1967, Muriel Siebert became the first woman to own a
seat on the New York Stock Exchange, opening the door for women to gain
positions of greater economic power; and

WHEREAS, In 1968, New York State Assemblywoman Shirley Chisholm
became the first Black woman elected to Congress and in 1972, she ran
for President of the United States, another first for Black women; and

WHEREAS, In 1970, New York City was the site of the first Women's
Strike for Equality in which 50,000 people marched for equal rights; and

WHEREAS, In 1978, Olga Mendez became the first Puerto Rican woman to
serve in the New York State Legislature; in 1983, New York State women
legislators established the Legislative Women's Caucus to improve the
participation of women in all areas of government, support issues that
benefit women and provide a network of support for women in the State
Legislature; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Brooklyn native, was a trailblazing
attorney and jurist who dedicated her career to advancing gender
equality and civil rights and successfully argued landmark cases before
the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging laws that discriminated on the
basis of sex and laying the legal foundation for gender equity; in 1993,
she made history as the second woman and the first Jewish woman to serve
on the U.S. Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians was
held to improve the status of women in history and in the historical
professions; and

WHEREAS, Hillary Rodham Clinton, has been a trailblazer in American
politics and public service and in 2000, she became the first woman
elected as a U.S. Senator for New York State; and

WHEREAS, In 2007, Ellen Young was the first Asian-American woman to
serve in the New York State Legislature; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, Sonia Sotomayor, a Bronx native, became the first
Latina and the third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court;
and

WHEREAS, New Yorker Edith Windsor fought to expand marriage equality
in the United States prior to the Marriage Equality Act of New York
which became law in 2011; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, New Yorker Loretta Elizabeth Lynch was appointed
as Attorney General of the United States, becoming the first
African-American woman to serve in this esteemed position; and

WHEREAS, Avril Haines of New York City became the first woman to
serve as the Director of National Intelligence on January 21, 2021;
furthermore, on January 26, 2021, Janet Yellen of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn,
became the first woman to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Treasury; and

WHEREAS, Brenda K. Sannes became the first woman to serve as Chief
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
in 2022; Nusrat Choudhury became the first Muslim American woman and the
first Bangladeshi American to serve as a U.S. District Judge in the
Eastern District of New York in 2023; Meredith Vacca became the first
Asian American woman to serve as a Judge of the Western District of New
York in 2024; and

WHEREAS, The New York Liberty won their first WNBA Championship in
2024, marking a significant milestone in women's sports; and

WHEREAS, Currently, 50% of statewide elected officials are women; a
testament to the growing representation and leadership of women in New
York State government; notably, each of these leaders made history as
the first woman elected to their respective positions, breaking barriers
and paving the way for future generations of women in public service;
and

WHEREAS, 2025 marks the 105th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment,
which guaranteed women the right to vote in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Today, 73 women serve in the New York State Legislature, 51
Assemblywomen and 22 Senators, holding leadership positions in both
houses and bringing the diverse experiences of women into law and public
policy; and

WHEREAS, The extraordinary achievements of these trailblazing
women-spanning politics, law, medicine, business, civil rights,
journalism, education, and activism-have shaped the course of history
and continue to inspire future generations; the collective achievements
and efforts of these women have expanded rights, shattered barriers, and
strengthened democracy, ensuring a more just and equitable society for
all; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2025, as Women's
History Month in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York; and the Legislative Women's Caucus of New York State.