FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Office for Diversity and Inclusion celebrates Women's History Month this year by recognizing and celebrating achievements and the vital role that women have played in American history. This year's theme is "Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Non-Violence."

Women's History Month was first celebrated in 1982 as Women's History Week. After the National Women's History Project's petition, Congress designated month of March, 1987 as a "Women's History Month" which was subsequently supported by many presidents such as Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama. They have issued a series of proclamations designating March as a Women's History Month.

This year, the University of Arkansas and the local community will celebrate Women's History Month by hosting various events focusing on the importance of women in American history.

Two notable events will be co-sponsored by the Gender Studies Program, whose director, Dr. Lisa Corrigan, stated, "this year we honor cis-, trans-, bi-, and queer women who have led and supported efforts to end violence, war, the practice of empire, and social inequality to help transform society." Corrigan will also present an interesting lecture of her own, titled "Queering the Panthers: Rhetorical Adjacency After Stonewall" at 6 p.m. March 12 in J.B. Hunt Center 216.

Other scheduled events are:

• "Sex and Scripture: What the Qu'ran Tells Us about Gender Equality."
  Asma Barlas
  Location: Gearhart Hall 026
  Hosted by: King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Arkansas
  Date: March 4; Time: 5:15 p.m. 
  For more info click here.
• Women in the Workforce Conference
  Location: Record Event Center - Bentonville
  Hosted by: University of Arkansas Global Campus
  Date: March 6; Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  For more info click here.  
• Artists Discuss Wonder Woman
  Location: Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern Art
  Hosted by: Crystal Bridges Museum of Modern Art
  Date: March 8; Time: 7-8:30 p.m.
  For more info click here.
• "Queering the Panthers: Rhetorical Adjacency After Stonewall"
  Lisa Corrigan
  Location: J.B. Hunt Center 216
  Date: March 12; Time: 6 p.m.
• "The Unknown, Uncut Story of Your Feminist Friends You Haven't Met"
  Jessica Zychowicz
  Location: J.B. Hunt Center 216
  Hosted by: Gender Studies and Russian Language Program
  Date: March 26; Time: 6 p.m.
• "Women's Participation and Organization in Contemporary Capoeira Angola
  Paula Barreto
  Location: TBA
  Hosted by: Gender Studies and Portuguese Language Program
  Date: March, 26; Time: TBA
• Tarana Burke Lecture
  Founder of the "me too" movement; Social Justice Activist
  Location: Fayetteville Town Center
  Hosted by: City of Fayetteville
  Date: March 28; Time: 6-7 p.m.
  For more info click here.

About the Office for Diversity and Inclusion: To help the University of Arkansas create and sustain a diverse, inclusive environment, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion offers support for initiatives, policies and programming designed to impact the overall culture at the university. Their office provides students, faculty, staff and regional communities across Arkansas with access to the necessary resources, information and training to make this happen.