National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C.            Vol. 31, No. 5 * March 15, 1999

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31 Days of Celebrating Women

"The Preamble to the Constitution begins, "We, the people." Yet, the phrase, inspiring as it is, has not always included all Americans. Women’s history in America has been the story of the struggle of women of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to be included in that simple but powerful statement. It is the story as well of how, in striving to reach their own great potential, women have strengthened and enriched our nation." So states President Clinton in his 1998 presidential proclamation designating March as Women’s History Month. Since 1987, when the first proclamation was passed, communities across the nation have celebrated the contributions that women have made throughout history.

Celebrations
This month, counties will celebrate with a variety of events and activities. The Monterey County (Calif.) Board of Supervisors issued a resolution recognizing Women’s History Month. The San Diego County (Calif.) Board of Supervisors, in conjunction with the city council, will sponsor a public forum on the status of women.

In Georgia, the Augusta-Richmond County Museum will hold a series of living history presentations and the Lumpkin County Library will host five one-night classes for women. In Carroll County, Md., women’s history programming will run on a local cable TV access channel. St. Clair County (Mich.) Community College has planned a month full of events, including a traveling exhibit about Michigan women, films, an essay contest and book discussion groups.

The Mercer County (N.J.) Community College will host two performances of the play, "The World In My Hands: The Inspiring Story of Helen Keller." The Bucks County (Pa.) Free Library will continue its yearlong look at women’s contributions through its program, "Herstory: How Women Have Impacted History." The focus of their March display will be centered on women in art, literature and music.

Women in the workforce
In 1997, full-time, year-round, working women earned 74 cents for every dollar earned by men. Between 1951 and 1997, the proportion of wives who were in the labor force nearly tripled, from 23 percent to 62 percent. With this increase in women in the labor force, there is a greater need for child care. The nation’s employed mothers had 10.3 million children under the age of 5 in 1994, of which the majority, 43 percent, received primary care from relatives, while 29 percent were cared for in a child care facility.

Women and education
In 1998, 83 percent of the nation’s women ages 25 and older had at least a high school diploma, while 22 percent had earned at least a bachelor’s degree. Women also represent an increasing share of the people being awarded college and postgraduate degrees.

In 1995, women represented 55 percent of the undergraduate degrees, 55 percent at the master’s level, 39 percent of the Ph.Ds, 39 percent of the MDs and 43 percent of the law degrees. This is a substantial increase over 1970, of 43 percent, 40 percent, 14 percent, 8 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Population
In November 1998, there were an estimated 138.2 million women and girls in the United States, compared to 132.7 million men and boys. At older ages, women outnumbered men by even larger margins; at ages 65 and older, there were 20.2 million women and 14.2 million men; at ages 85 and older, there were 2.9 million women and 1.2 million men, at ages 100 and older, there were 51,000 women and 11,000 men.

Marriage and motherhood
In 1998, 58 percent of women 18 years and older were married, 11 percent were widowed or divorced and 21 percent were never married. The estimated median age for women at marriage was 25.

In 1995, 58 percent of 15 to 44 year old women had children, with 18 percent having one child, 23 percent had two, 11 percent had three, and 6 percent had four or more. The percentage of women who had never given birth was highest, 27 percent, in women ages 30 to 34, compared to 20 percent of women in their late 30s and 18 percent of women in their early 40s.

Women-owned businesses
According to the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, women play an important role in the creation of new businesses in New Mexico, where one third of the businesses owned by women are less than five years old, compared to 20 percent for male-owned start-ups.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. reached 6.4 million in 1992, representing one-third of all domestic firms.

These women-owned businesses generated $1.6 trillion in revenues and employed 13.2 million people. Women-owned businesses hire proportionately more women. In 1992, 35 percent of these firms reported that 75 percent or more of their work force was female, compared with less than 24 percent of the non-minority male-owned firms.

(Research News was written by Peggy Beardslee, research associate.)