Matilda Coxe Stevenson was the first female anthropologist to study the Native Americans of New Mexico. Her research focused on the religious practices of indigenous peoples, particularly of the Zuni, and on the lives of native women and children. In 1885, she founded the Woman’s Anthropological Society of America, a national organization, in part to address the inequality of the sexes in the field of Anthropology. The New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative was founded in 2005 by members of the New Mexico Women's Forum in a statewide effort to recognize women's contributions to New Mexico history on the state's Official Scenic Historic Markers. The Initiative ensures that women's diverse histories will be remembered and told, and will inspire and provide a guide for future generations. The 2006 Legislature funded the project.