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History of Mother's Day (2:52)

Find out about the ancient roots and modern history of Mother's Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May in the United States.

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Videos (7)

  • History of Mother's Day
    History of Mother's Day

    Video Clip (2:52)

    Find out about the ancient roots and modern history of Mother's Day, which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May in the United States.

    Video Clip (2:52)
  • Women in Politics
    Women in Politics

    Video Clip (3:11)

    From Sandra Day O'Connor to Shirley Chisholm to Madeleine Albright, these groundbreaking American women paved the way.

    Video Clip (3:11)
  • Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
    Women's Army Auxiliary Corps

    Video Clip (3:13)

    May 14, 1943, marked the first anniversary of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). The Women's Army Corps, a U.S. army organization created during World War II to enlist women as auxiliaries for noncombatant duty in the U.S. army. Before 1943 it was known as the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. Its first director was Oveta Culp Hobby. During World War II, WACs served as medical technicians, cartography clerks, secretaries, and the like in the United States and in all the theaters of war. Almost 100,000 had joined the WAC by 1945. Enlistment ended with the war's end, and rapid demobilization followed. But by 1946 the War Department asked for reenlistments to meet shortages in army hospitals and personnel centers. In 1948 a bill was passed by Congress formally establishing the WAC within the regular army. The WAC was dissolved in 1978.

    Video Clip (3:13)
  • Women of War
    Women of War

    Video Clip (1:38)

    Find out the surprising stories of the unexpected ways women have served their countries in times of war.

    Video Clip (1:38)
  • Women of Science
    Women of Science

    Video Clip (1:19)

    Did you know a woman invented Liquid paper? Find out more about women's contributions to science and technology.

    Video Clip (1:19)
  • Women of Music
    Women of Music

    Video Clip (1:28)

    Get the unexpected stories behind some of the most famous women in the world of popular music.

    Video Clip (1:28)
  • Migrant Mother Photo
    Migrant Mother Photo

    Video Clip (3:06)

    The Migrant Mother image is one of a series of photographs that Dorothea Lange made in February or March 1936 in Nipomo, California.

    Video Clip (3:06)

Photo Galleries (10)

  • American Women in Entertainment, Literature and the Arts
    American Women in Entertainment, Literature and the Arts

    16 Photos

    View famous American women in entertainment, literature and the arts.

    (16 Photos)
  • Women Leaders
    Women Leaders

    14 Photos

    Women who became trailblazers in the field of politics and leadership.

    (14 Photos)
  • Women in Sports
    Women in Sports

    14 Photos

    Great women in sports history.

    (14 Photos)
  • Women in Science and Health
    Women in Science and Health

    15 Photos

    See important genius women in history.

    (15 Photos)
  • Women Factory Workers of World War II
    Women Factory Workers of World War II

    10 Photos

    During World War II, American women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers. The munitions industry heavily recruited women workers, as represented by the U.S. government's "Rosie the Riveter" propaganda campaign.

    (10 Photos)
  • Suffrage and the Women Behind It
    Suffrage and the Women Behind It

    7 Photos

    In 1920, American women voted for the first time, thanks to pro-suffrage activists such as Lucy Stone, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

    (7 Photos)
  • Black Women Musicians
    Black Women Musicians

    20 Photos

    View images of famous female African American singers and musicians.

    (20 Photos)
  • Black Women in Politics
    Black Women in Politics

    10 Photos

    View images of famous female African American politicians and activists.

    (10 Photos)
  • Black Women Authors
    Black Women Authors

    11 Photos

    View images of famous female African American authors.

    (11 Photos)
  • Black Women Athletes
    Black Women Athletes

    16 Photos

    View images of famous female African American athletes.

    (16 Photos)

Speeches & Audio (1)

  • Amelia Earhart on Women in Flight
    Amelia Earhart on Women in Flight

    Audio Clip (2:02)

    In a 1935 radio broadcast on "a woman's place in science," Amelia Earhart encourages women to make their mark on the new field of aviation. On June 18, 1928, Earhart became the first woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

    Audio Clip (2:02)

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Read More about Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a holiday honoring motherhood that is observed in the United States and various parts of the world.

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