Happening Women: Exploring Women’s History Month

by Allison Riney

Many people know that February is Black History month or that Asian Pacific American Month is celebrated in May. But did you know that March is Women’s History Month? This March is especially important, as it marks the centennial anniversary of The National Women Suffrage Parade. On March 3, 1913, 5,000 women flooded Pennsylvania Avenue, demanding the rights later granted to females in America in the Nineteenth Amendment.

This month, we hope you will join us in celebrating women around the globe, remembering their accomplishments, paying tribute to their sacrifices, and fighting for their future.

Dorothy Parker

During World War II, Bucks County played host to many of Manhattan’s artistic elite, becoming a haven for the celebrities of the day. It was the perfect country retreat- beautiful scenery, lax lifestyle, and close proximity to New York City. Bucks soon counted n Nathaniel West, S. J. Perelman, Moss Hart, George S. Kaufman, and Oscar Hammerstein II as residents. Local legend says Hammerstein was inspired to pen his unforgettable hymn, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” while gazing over Bucks County’s idyllic landscape at sunrise.

Dorothy Parker was one of the many great artists to call Bucks County home during the county’s golden days. Despite her controversial opinions, Dorothy Parker’s influence in literature is undeniable. As critic for Vanity Fair in the early 1920’s and a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table, one of history’s most prestigious literary groups, Parker’s searing remarks and undeniable intellect earned her notoriety as a “wit.” A critic, poet, intellectual, screenwriter and political activist, Parker was one of the first “renaissance women.”

At the height of Parker’s career, American women were beginning to explore the implications associated with their evolving societal status. The 1920 ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment was a reflection of the Modern Woman’s growing responsibility and independence. In her prose, Parker lent her voice to the young, middle class women in America who were charting new territory- and facing new challenges.

Her most popular works include three poetry collections (Death and Taxes, Enough Rope, Sunset Gun) and a collection of fiction (Laments for the Living). She won the O. Henry Award for Big Blonde, her autobiographical short story. As a screenwriter, she contributed to the Academy Award nominated television show A Star Is Born.