Historical Women on United States Currency

Ever since I heard about the Women on 20's campaign last week, the idea has been on my mind. I have read several articles, as well as some of the comments on them, about women on currency. There is obviously a wide range of opinions about whether or not women should be on currency. For some reason some people seem to think that individuals who are featured on currency must be white males. Or if they are not, they must have done something in their life like cure cancer, end world hunger, AND end poverty. Simply doing one of those things would not be enough to get *gasp* a woman on U.S. currency. A woman?? INCONCEIVABLE!

Now, I have great respect for the men on our United States currency, were they perfect? Most definitely not, but each of them did things worthy of respect, some more than others, and they each helped shape the United States in one way or another. They played a vital part in shaping our country into one that is the "land of the free and the home of the brave", but sometimes it feels like there is an addendum to that *as long as you are a wealthy white male*. Should they be removed from currency and simply forgotten? No, but perhaps it is time for new heroes on our currency.

What is interesting is that if you look back 120 years ago, before women in the United States even had the right to vote, you can find Martha Washington, wife of President George Washington on the $1 bill. That's right folks, the United States actually put a woman on currency before women could vote! Even more "shocking" is that 20 years before Martha Washington showed up on the $1 bill another woman was featured on the $10 and $20 bills. And guess what, she was not related to a president in any way, in fact she was not even a white woman. Pocahontas was once upon a time, featured on United States currency.

I wonder if some people see this movement as saying that women are better than men, that those who are pushing for this want to "kick" off all the men on United States currency and replace them with women. For me, personally, it is definitely not about that. It is about recognizing that there should be equality for men and women, that women have done amazing wonderful things that have benefited our country. That women who have truly changed the world deserve to be recognized, just as men who have changed the world have been. It is showing our society that we recognize that men are not better than women and that women are not better than women. That society benefits from an equal partnership between men and women, and that this is just a step in that direction.

Seven Continents Visited- Where Do I Go From Here?

With my post yesterday on the first female scientists in Antarctica I wrapped up my project of featuring a woman from every continent. It was a project I enjoyed and learned a lot from. For me it was a great introduction into the world and the amazing women that inhabit it. It has been a great experience for me to see viewers from all over the world, I hope that continues and grows. Like I have stated before my eventual goal is to feature women that I know, and then eventually my dream is that readers will contact me about women they want to see featured. I would love to be able to highlight women across the world who have been nominated by people in their life. I know it may take awhile to actually get to that point, but it is where I want to end up. That means I need a wide audience and people willing to share what they read and share my mission. Thanks for joining me on this journey so far, and I hope you will stick with me as I start my next project.

Women on 20's

Today while scrolling through my Facebook feed I came across this post from A Mighty Girl. I had not heard ANYTHING about this movement and it really caught my attention. As I looked at the post and as I peruse the website I am struck by the fact that I have not ever given it much thought that the United States does not have any currency or coin in regular circulation that has a woman on the front. Yes there are the Susan B. Anthony pieces, but if you are anything like me those are in your coin collection and not spent. There was the Sacajawea gold dollars, but once again those were not mass circulated and you very rarely see them.

If you have ever seen coins and currency from other countries, many of them feature queens from their past or recent past, as well as important men. Somehow though, we seemed to have missed that ship. In the United States, you know land of the free, home of the brave, all of our regularly used coins and currency feature only men. Now, I have great respect for these men, and for a lot of the things they did. Were they perfect? No, but each one did some amazing things and played an important role in our history. That being said, there are many many MANY women throughout history who also did amazing things and played an important, albeit less heard about, role in our history.

With all that being said, how is it that I have never given it much thought that there are no women on our currency and coins? I really do not know for sure, but I do like this movement, and I am thinking that after I find my woman/women for South American and Antarctica I am going to feature the candidates for the Women on 20s.