‘You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby’

Believe it or not, this was the theme of the first cigarette commercial made especially for the first cigarette made for women. It’s 1968. The commercial on television and in print showed an attractive young woman holding a long, skinny cigarette known as a Virginia Slim.

In 1775 the Declaration of Independence was signed by three male, Georgia members to the Continental Congress. This historic document announced to the world that colonists were declaring their freedom from England, but the freedom was for the men of the colonies.

It would take 144 years of marching, demonstrations and even death by women suffragettes to get an amendment to our Constitution, so they could legally vote.

Women now are employed in all phases of our society from law enforcement to the military, Supreme Court Justices, House of Representatives and Senators, Astronauts, and Olympians. There doesn’t seem to be any limits, even a newspaper editor.

As that cigarette ad said 55 years ago was right, “You’ve come a long way, Ms.”

Celebrate Women’s History Month, March 1-31.