Jim Obergefell was married to his husband John Arthur on a medical jet in Maryland shortly before Arthur died of ALS. Obergefell holds his wedding band that has been fused together with Arthur's ashes and wedding ring. (Credit: Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Writer, feminist, poet and civil-rights activist Audre Lorde (1934-1992) poses for a photograph during her 1983 residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

An illustration of a consultation with a back-street abortionist due to the new laws and scandal surrounding abortions. (Credit: CCI/REX/Shutterstock)

Exterior of Supreme Court of the United States on First Street in Washington, D.C., with statue by James Earle Fraser titled Authority of Law.

The fight for women's rights and women's suffrage, which predated the famous Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, is one of the most important civil rights struggles in U.S. history.

Women's Rights

The fight for women&#8217;s rights and women&#8217;s suffrage, which predated the famous Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, is one of the most important civil rights struggles in U.S. history.

Women's Rights Archives | History.com

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History

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

US Government

Sarah Pruitt is a writer and editor based in seacoast New Hampshire. She has been a frequent contributor to History.com since 2005, and is the author of Breaking History: Vanished! (Lyons Press, 2017), which chronicles some of history's most famous disappearances.

Sarah Pruitt

Erin Blakemore is a journalist from Boulder, Colorado.&nbsp;She has been a regular contributor to History.com since 2017.&nbsp;Her work has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Atlantic, TIME, Smithsonian and more. Her book, The Heroine's Bookshelf (Harper), won the Colorado Book Award for nonfiction.&nbsp;Learn more about Erin and her work at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__erinblakemore.com&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=vPjVNQxO2UQahvbDx5QSGrZIVauVoSVO87pq3BXU4VA&amp;s=W8vCeHoc9ruSMJuG1fABd_TkZyW3fO6FQrfzkcrWSik&amp;e=">erinblakemore.com</a>

Erin Blakemore

<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__msbeckylittle.tumblr.com_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=G-7sCRahZ4NeqUBMRIzpVYF_SWJZdHf6oZ3GZnosXWc&amp;s=zmyoc9Pijw9wmJOCBZEXDORhhj0TxUZKXRRMCwVGaTI&amp;e=">Becky Little</a> is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_MsBeckyLittle&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=G-7sCRahZ4NeqUBMRIzpVYF_SWJZdHf6oZ3GZnosXWc&amp;s=vkbwVD5s79Na0AuPtG5PY8OTUvwTHP3BjHLGApztU4w&amp;e=">@MsBeckyLittle</a>.

Becky Little

Dave Roos is a freelance writer based in the United States and Mexico. A longtime contributor to HowStuffWorks, Dave has also been published in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek.&nbsp;

Dave Roos

Lesley Kennedy is a features writer and editor living in Denver with her husband and two daughters. Her work has appeared in national and regional newspapers, magazines and websites.

Lesley Kennedy

Medicine

Suzanne McGee

The gay rights movement is the struggle for equality and marriage rights for gay, lesbian and transgendered people. Milestones include the Stonewall Riots, the trial of Oscar Wilde and the assassination of Harvey Milk.

Gay Rights

From raising families to leading armies, women such as Catherine the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen Elizabeth I, Susan B. Anthony, Marie Curie and countless others have played a vital role in human civilization.

Women’s History

19th century

The civil rights movement was a struggle for justice and equality for African Americans that took place mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. It was led by people like Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, the Little Rock Nine and many others.&nbsp;

Civil Rights Movement

From religious and patriotic observances to celebrations of ethnic pride, explore the history of Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick's Day, New Year's Day, Valentine's Day, Memorial Day and more.

Holidays

February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history, including the civil rights movement and their artistic, cultural and political achievements.

Black History

Women’s History Month is an annual celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Women’s history in the United States has been full of trailblazers and pioneers: Women who fought for their rights, worked hard to be treated equally and made great strides in fields like science, politics, sports, literature and art.

Women's History

The U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, created America’s federal government, established fundamental laws and legal structures while guaranteeing certain basic rights for American citizens.

Women's Rights ‑ Stories

8 Landmark Supreme Court Cases That Were Overturned

5 Historic Supreme Court Rulings Based on the 14th Amendment

What Are the Four Waves of Feminism?

How Phyllis Schlafly Derailed the Equal Rights Amendment

American Women’s Suffrage Came Down to One Man’s Vote

The Women’s Suffrage Movement Started with a Tea Party

The Criminalization of Abortion Began as a Business Tactic

How Early Suffragists Left Black Women Out of Their Fight