How ‘International Women’s Day’ Created The Soviet Union And Destroyed The 20th Century

Lightly educated thought leaders, from Hollywood celebrities to corporate America, have joined with hashtag slacktivists to celebrate “International Women’s Day,” Thursday’s top trend on Twitter. Even the White House issued a statement to honor the day. Few, however, have mentioned International Women’s Day’s sordid past, perhaps because even a passing familiarity with the holiday’s history would cause most Americans to shun the celebration altogether.

The Socialist Party of America held the first Women’s Day demonstration in New York on February 28, 1909, at the urging of Socialist Party leader Theresa Serber Malkiel. The International Socialist Women’s Conference expanded the observance the following August to inaugurate the general meeting of the Socialist Second International. German socialist Luise Zietz, alongside communists Clara Zetkin and Kate Duncker, established the event as an annual Women’s Day, moving the date to March for the following year.