I haven’t really added my own opinion because frankly I was too embarrassed to be unable to recall a single Woman who would fit the criteria of what it means to be on a monetary note.
The men on these bills led the nation through extremely pivotal moments in US history - literally defined it. Their success largely trumpts the majority of woman accomplishments and shouldn’t be downplayed through replacing them. This isn’t to say women haven’t done great things for society, just haven’t reached that kind of level (yet). Show me a woman who has impacted the entire nation (that includes me at the personal level) and i’ll buy you a cheeseburger with that woman’s face on it.
@krnyc2008 Remind me again what Eleanor Roosevelt did that was so impressive. Sat on some UN thing. People are all like “she was the first First Lady to be involved in politics.” That has to be the biggest non-sense I’ve ever heard. Edith Wilson practically ran the country after Woodrow had a stroke. Moreover, the fact that people are advocating putting Eleanor on the $10 before her husband baffles my mind. He’s easily top 5 or 10 most important dead Americans, in or out (and regardless of your) politics.
I’m not too familiar with American history, but when you think about it, it seems odd you have politicians honored on the currency. Imagine if you had a Obama $20 or Bush $10. Half the country would be incensed at one or the other.
Btw Japan has a woman on the Y5000 bill, who was a writer. Actually, a lot of the people on bills are writers, or scholars, one’s a scientist. I can’t imagine having a prime minister on a bill lol. Though there was an ancient emperor on practically every bill, long time ago.
How about an intellectual or scholar or writers? Emily Dickinson.
I am not saying she is more qualified than say Rosa Parks. Her name just came to my mind first. So clearly she’s got a better “brand” for lack of a better word. And that always wins unfortunately I am fine either way. I simply tried to point out that there are decent candidates.
European money has lots of scientists and artists on them. If we did that, there would certainly be room for some women. If it must be political figures, then we’re limited to suffragists, abolitionists, and civil rights.
Of course, it helps that the Europeans have at least 2500 years of recorded history to draw upon.
I think Americans are worried that this might wimpify the currency and make it weak, the way Euro currencies are.
Generally, the idea in the US seems to be that a person must be dead before they can be put on the currency, so that limits things to a certain extent in terms of women in politics.
How about some physicians? These were amazing women in their fields. I included a quick blurb from Wikipedia for each…
Dr. Virginia Apgar
(June 7, 1909 - August 7, 1974). An American obstetrical anesthesiologist. She was a leader in the fields of anesthesiology and teratology, and introduced obstetrical considerations to the established field of neonatology. To the public, however, she is best known as the inventor of the Apgar score, a way to quickly assess the health of newborn children immediately after birth.
Dr. Helen Taussig
(May 24, 1898 - May 20, 1986). An American cardiologist, working in Baltimore and Bosgton who founded the field of pediatric cardiology. Notably, she is credited with developing the concept for a procedure that would extend the lives of children born with Tetralogy of Fallot (the most common cause of blue baby syndrome). This concept was applied in practice as a procedure known as the Blalock-Taussig shunt. The procedure was developed by Alfred Blalock and Vivien Thomas, who were Taussig’s colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Taussig is also known for her work in banning thalidomide and was widely recognized as a highly skilled physician.
Dr. Leila Denmark
(Feb 1, 1898 - April 1, 2012). An American pediatrician. She was the world’s oldest practicing pediatrician until her retirement in May 2001 at the age of 103, after 73 years. She started treating children in 1928 and by the time of her retirement was treating grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her first patients. She was the only woman in the 1928 graduating class of the Medical College of Georgia. She is credited as co-developer of the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine in the 1920s and 1930s. For this, she was awarded the Fisher Prize in 1935.