March is Women's History Month! This month take time to study great women. Women's history isn't just about women or for women. It's an important part of understanding the history of New York State as a whole. Women have important things in New York State history, helping to shape our laws and culture to what it is today. Progress has not come easily. Women have had to fight for their rights, including the rights to go to school, to own property, to make laws, and to vote (suffrage).
One famous woman who is important to New York State is Sonia Sotomayor. She was born and raised in the Bronx. She knew from the age of 10 that she wanted to go to law school and got all A's in high school. She went to Princeton University and Yale Law School before working as a lawyer and a judge in New York City. In May, 2009, President Obama nominated Sotomayor for the U.s. Supreme Court. She is the Court's 111th justice. She is also the first Hispanic and third female justice. She is an important woman to New York State. For more information about her and other great women, go to Encyclopedia Britannica Kids.
