These Celebrities Are Fighting to Make Sure Women's History Is Recognized

Given that it's 2018, it's a little surprising to realize that the United States still has no national women's history museum, nor is there any such building currently under construction. But the nonpartisan National Women's History Museum organization, founded in 1996, is trying to change that: Members and potential donors gathered on Saturday for a fundraiser for the construction of just such a museum, along with the seventh annual Women's Making History Awards. The event, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, honored Kristen Bell, Kathy Bates, Gabrielle Union, and Black Lives Matter Global Network cofounder Patrisse Cullors for their social responsibility accomplishments. Glamour's editor-in-chief, Samantha Barry, was on hand to moderate a Q&A with each woman following her recognition.

Women's history is hugely overlooked: For centuries, it's generally been white men who have held the power to write themselves into Western history textbooks. What results is a narrative of history that often leaves out the contributions of women and people of color. (If you want some weekend reading, New York Times's "Overlooked" obituary series is also doing its part to change that.) The first paid baseball team in America was made up not of men, for example, but women. And then there's Claudette Colvin, who was arrested at 15 when she refused to give up her bus seat—nine months before Rosa Parks made her famous protest.

That's exactly why the Women's Making History Awards exists today: to recognize women who are already making history. Idina Menzel presented an award to Bell to recognize the actress's work with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as the social justice-oriented granola bar company Bell co-founded, This Bar Saves Lives.

Actor Michael Ealy then honored Union, who works with the National Advisory Committee for Violence Against Women, for her advocacy for women's issues and sexual assault victims.

"She was fearless, and she led from the front," said Union about Marsha P. Johnson, a gay liberation activist who was prominent at the 1969 Stonewall uprising. "A lot of us call ourselves leaders but we stay quiet and we're in the back. We talk about inclusion but when we go to work, it's everybody that looks like us."

"Anytime whole groups of people have been erased, their contributions have been erased, we tend to see them as less valuable," Union added. "We don't tend to see their worth."

Sarah Paulson also gave an amazing tribute to why her American Horror Story costar Bates inspires her more than anyone else: "The work she does on behalf of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network is a striking example of her desire to move towards the greater good," she said, noting Bates' role as an international ambassador for those who have lymphatic diseases. Finally, Dawn Lyen-Gardner honored Cullors for founding the Los Angeles-based Dignity and Power Now organization, which advocates for incarcerated people and their families, and for co-founding the Black Lives Matter Global Network.

It's not certain yet when the museum will finally break ground. In March 2017, a nonpartisan bill was introduced in Congress that would establish it and designate two potential spots on the National Mall—however, it's yet to be voted on.

For more info or to find out how you can help, check out the organization's website.