Alice Paul, Harriet Tubman and Eleanor Roosevelt get my votes.
Beyonce
Bow down.
(Just kidding!)
Susan B Anthony
I did not realize that there was an actual list! I thought it as a purely theoretical exercise.
Either of two enormously talented Ohioans: Chrissie Hynde or Toni Morrison.
I didn’t know there was a list either. I still think Harriet Tubmam. I like Susan B Anthony, but she already had a coin, and no one has had two currencies.
Personally I don"the support putting women from the arts on currency. We don’t have any men who are solely artists, do we? If we don’t have men in that position and we start with a woman, it’s tantamount in my mind to saying we have no women who have made sufficient social / governmental contributions.
I didn’t know about the list until someone mentioned it and I googled.
And I agree with hayden.
The law prohibits a living person, so it has to be someone deceased.
Thought it would be useful to remind everyone of the women who have appeared on coins. The following is from the US Mint’s website. (I left in the commemorative coins, because the choices were quite eye-popping. I don’t think it violates the no-political-commentary rule to say that I was surprised to see Queen Isabella of Spain on the very short list of women appearing on US coins, commemorative or otherwise!)
On Australian currency there are writer Dame Mary Gilmore and soprano Nellie Melba. I wish the US, too, would move away from politicians on bills and instead feature artists, scientists and educators.
Here’s a nice overview of the campaign:
http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/a-campaign-to-put-a-woman-on-the-twenty-dollar-bill
In general, I agree with you, MD3. However, for the first woman on regularly used currency, I do not want it to be an artist, etc. Art, literature, music, are seen as worlds that women are supposed to inhabit because they’re creative. Down the line, fine, bring in the artists- but for the first, it should be someone (IMO) that heavily contributed to society through the political realm (and I include scientists in that political realm)
I’d like to see Eleanor Roosevelt.
Yes, please give us who we are early voting for…
Hmmm, I definitely see the two sides to this coin. I hold dear moral values and those who use their words and ideals to shape society for the better, but I do see how breaking out of the box is key and should be considered.
As I’m looking at women who made history in science, the lack of diversity gets me. More work is to be done! I’ll throw in Harriet Tubman for her tenacity and fearlessness.
Great responses, everyone!
@dragonmom http://www.womenon20s.org/candidates
But we were posting before the list and I don’t think it’s definitive or anything.
ETA: Niquii, of course there is a lack of diversity. Women of color weren’t allowed or able to be educated until very recently in our history (so many women of color who have made significant contributions are still alive and thus ineligible).
Sally Ride at least adds some diversity.
And yes, much more work to be done.
The list seems to have changed… No Sally ride, yes to Susan B and a bunch of other contemporaries.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln.
dragon, we’re posting our own ideas. They are independent of the list that someone else made (the list of 15).
Sorry, I didn’t read carefully enough.
My vote is Sally Ride then. I always wanted to be in space. She was such a hero.