Philadelphia Celebrates Women’s History Month

Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Artworld and Beyond
Monday – Saturday until March 17 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Moore College of Art & Design, The Galleries at Moore, 20th Street and the Parkway
This free public exhibit at Moore College of Art & Design features work from the anonymous, feminist-activist collective Guerrilla Girls. The multimedia adds context and detail to the ongoing work of the group, which focuses on feminism and social change. Visitors can see behind-the-scenes photographs, secret anecdotes, and the artists’ favorite fan mail and hate mail from almost 30 years of communications; visitors can also add their own praise or criticism using an interactive wall installation. This exhibit is curated by Neysa Page-Lieberman and organized by Columbia College, Chicago.

Women’s History Month at the Constitution Center
Various Days and Times
National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street
All March long, visitors can participate in a variety of events honoring Women’s History Month, including the new program “Decoding the Lyrics: ‘Bad Romance’ and Women’s Suffrage” which uses a hit pop song to tell the story of women’s suffrage. The museum’s main exhibition, “The Story of We the People,” also highlights defining moments in women’s history. Along with these, there’s a women’s history guided tour available during normal museum hours. For those who can’t make it to the museum, the Constitution Center provides an online resource center perfect for teachers and parents looking to engage students and children in guided discussions, too.

Progress for Women in Public Safety 2018 Women’s Day Conference
Thursday, March 8 – Friday, March 9 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Claudia Cohen Hall, Terrace Room, 249 South 36th Street
This free two-day conference hosted by the Philadelphia Fire Department has various guest speakers focusing on the progress for women in public safety through health and wellness, professional development, and recruitment. The conference also includes two workshops: Females in Public Safety Succession Planning along with recruitment and Support. All are invited to participate, including female youth ages 14 and up in public safety organizations, such as Explorers, or those interested in public safety, community service, and healthcare.

Girl Scout Day at the Constitution Center
Saturday, March 10 | 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street
Girl Scout Day at the National Constitution Center features guided tours, interactive quiz games, outdoor flag ceremonies, hands-on artifact workshops, activity tables, and more. Scouts attending this event meet legacy badge or journey requirements, too. Admission is $14 for scouts and $12 for adults with one free scout leader for every 10 scouts. The museum recommends making reservations at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 215-409-6800.

Girls Rock Women’s History Month: Movie Day
Monday, March 12 | 4 p.m.
Lovett Memorial Library, 6945 Germantown Avenue
Come enjoy a snack and a short movie that celebrates girl power! This free event is for school age girls and boys.

The Year of the Woman Discussion
Wednesday, March 14 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
City Council Caucus Room, City Hall, Room 402
Hosted by the office of Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, this nonpartisan moderated discussion focuses on the issues negatively affecting women across the nation and how increasing the number of women in elected office can work to change that for both parties. Panelists include: Aubrey Montgomery, Rittenhouse Political; Jasmine Sessoms, She Can Win; Anne Wakabayashi, Emerge Pennsylvania; and, Jenne Ayers, Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization for Women. Panelists will also be providing advice they have for women seeking offices, the challenges candidates should be ready and willing to face, and what they think the key or pathway to victory for women in 2018, and beyond, will be.

Women’s History Month Storytime
Thursday, March 15 | 4 p.m.
Whitman Library, 200 Snyder Avenue
This free program for children and families features stories and reading highlighting the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society.

The Women’s Film Festival
Friday, March 16 – Saturday, March 24 | Various Times
Various Locations
Lights, camera, representation! The 2018 Women’s Film Festival opens at the Perelman Theater the Kimmel Center on Friday, March 16, and continues in various venues for a week. The festival features over 75 films from around world by, for, or about women.

Women in Science Day at the Franklin Institute
Saturday, March 17 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street
The Franklin hosts this day dedicated to spotlighting female role models and their impact on our world. There’ll be a special presentation from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Franklin Theater, “Breaking Barriers in Space,” featuring a conversation with South Korea’s first astronaut, Soyeon Yi. Other events this day include hands-on activities with local partners featuring many opportunities available to women in the STEM fields here in Philadelphia along with female scientists from The Franklin sharing their own science stories and demonstrating hands-on science for visitors. These events are included with museum general admission.

Time’s Up! The Women’s Rights Movement
Monday, March 19 | 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Skyline Room, Parkway Central Free Library, 1901 Vine Street
This free event, sponsored by the Justice Bell Foundation and the Walnut Club, features three local activists sharing their knowledge and experience: Amanda Owen, writer, author, and activist; Jean Hunt, registered nurse and community organizer; and, Salima Suswell, speaker, activist, and organizer with the Philadelphia Women’s March. Topics include connecting women’s history from the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls to the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s to today’s #MeToomovement and the call for recognizing and embracing intersectionality as a framework for understanding power.

More Than Pink Discussion
Wednesday, March 21 | 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
City Council Caucus Room, City Hall, Room 402
Join the office of Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and host Giva Wilkerson for this discussion on inclusivity and the future of the feminist movement! Over the past year, we’ve seen a revitalization of feminism and, potentially, a new wave. Some movements and organizations have left women feeling more divided than ever, however. This discussion focuses on the theme that there is more than pink in the feminist movement and that inclusion and intersectionality are key to embracing the multiple shades, idenities, experiences, and backgrounds of the women standing together in the fight for equality and justice. Panelists include: Aarati Kasturirangan, Bread and Roses Community Fund; Jasmine Sessoms, She Can Win; and, Naiymah Sanchez, trans activist and community organizer with the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

2nd Annual Summit for Women and Girls
Friday, March 23 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
National Museum of American Jewish History
101 South Independence Mall East
Join the Philadelphia Commission for Women at its second annual summit. This free event is an opportunity for Philadelphians of all walks of life to be inspired by the stories of national trailblazers and local women and girls doing incredibly thing. The summit is free but registration is currently full, so please signup for the wait list.

Women’s History on Tap
Wednesday, March 28 | 5:30 p.m – 7:30 p.m.
City Council Caucus Room, City Hall, Room 402
Join the office of Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and host Grace Palladino for this very special edition of Civics on Tap in honor of Women’s History Month! Bring your friends, have a laugh, and learn something new!

Historic Philadelphia’s Women’s History Month Celebration
Saturday, March 31 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street
The only place in Philadelphia dedicated solely to telling the stories of colonial women and their contributions to our nation, the Betsy Ross House hosts an entire day of free, family-friendly events celebrating women’s history. Throughout the month, there are other Women’s History Month events at the Besty Ross House, too, including chocolate making and unique workshops adding insight to the experience of women in colonial America.