La Festa Della Donna

Today is International Women's Day, the day that honors women who fought for women's rights and those who died as a result of oppression. It also honors the women who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City in 1911. The workers (mostly immigrant women) working in a textile factory were unable to escape with their lives when a fire broke out because the bosses had chained one of the exits, possibly so they would not leave the room for any reason (including bathroom or possibly stealing materials).

Here in Italy, women are often given little sprigs of mimosa in honor of Women's Day. History says that the mimosa tradition started in Rome when people couldn't afford roses or carnations and mimosa grew everywhere so it was easy to clip a little sprig off a tree! (Thanks to Elana for that little tidbit!)

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire