Meryl Streep Seeking Donations for Women’s History Museum

Meryl Streep is right--The American female stands on historical quicksand: One-in-ten historical figures in today’s history textbooks are women; less than five percent of statues in national parks honor women of achievement and only 13 out of the 214 statues in the U.S. Capitol recognize a woman leader.

Look at the Smithsonian website and do your own research. I did—I spent two hours looking for exhibitions on women’s history. Type those words in their search engine, and see what you get. I got “no results”.

Great American women deserve recognition: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who founded the women’s vote campaign; world-famous actress Hedy Lamarr, who co-created a frequency-hopping device used during World War II which enables our cell phone technology today; Catherine Littlefield Greene, who co-invented the cotton gin and Annie Jump Cannon, the world’s first astronomer who created the star classification system that is still in use.

There are more than enough of these astonishing women to fill a museum yet young girls and boys are deprived of knowing this part of their heritage.

It’s truly shocking that in the 21st century, half of our nation’s history is not being told. This rich history cannot and must not be lost. These stories need to be shared.

karen of MD 11:20AM March 20, 2011