Shrewsbury Bridge lit in purple to celebrate International Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation decided to illuminate the Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, in a brilliant shade of purple.

This gesture was part of a larger effort in the state, as the Zakim, Longfellow, and Fore River bridges were also lit in purple to commemorate the occasion.

International Women’s Day is an annual global holiday that began with labor movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century.

The first Women’s Day was organized in New York City on February 28, 1909, by the Socialist Party of America.

Although it has become a mainstream global holiday since its adoption by the United Nations in 1977, the day is still marked differently in various parts of the world, with some focusing on celebrating womanhood and others calling for radical change.