International Women’s Day was first observed March...

International Women’s Day was first observed March 8, 1911. Back then, women’s suffrage was a big issue. But as recently as the 1970s, the history of women and their accomplishments was still missing from most school curricula.

In 1978, when an education task force in Sonoma County first launched a Women’s History Week, it chose the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day. In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) co-sponsored a joint congressional resolution establishing National Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to the full month of March.

* The National Women’s History Project works with educators, parents and community organizations across the country to make National Women’s History Month a springboard for celebrating achievements by women year-round.

* Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park will host a program, “Women in Railroading 2000,” Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Also, an International Society for the Preservation of Women in Railroading is forming. Call (818) 948-8626.

* Lifetime, the cable television network, is celebrating National Women’s History Month with an “Intimate Portrait” of television journalist Cokie Roberts, premiering Tuesday at 7 p.m.

* The Synthaxis Theatre Company of North Hollywood presents “A Woman’s Place” by Alice Josephs and Estelle Busch, a program that examines seven courageous women from history, including Anne Hutchinson and Bella Abzug. Shows are Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Tickets are $10. Ends March 26. (818) 761-3974.

* Barnes & Noble, 8800 Tampa Ave., Northridge, will have a talk and exhibit on Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science. Susan Cobb will speak on “Science and Health: A Healing Theology for Radical Thinkers” tonight at 7:30. (818) 773-0821.