A group of bipartisan lawmakers are working to celebrate the centennial anniversary of women's suffrage next year with the founding of a new museum dedicated entirely to the accomplishments of women in the U.S.
"It is difficult to empower women, if you don't even recognize them," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the author of the pending Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act.
"What better way of inspiring young women — and men — than by knowing the contributions of those that went ahead."
If passed, the bill will establish a new national museum that showcases and honors women's historical achievements in a variety of fields including art, science, and the military, among others. The legislation currently has 293 co-sponsors in the House.
"Women's contributions to the development of our nation and society are immense," Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said in a statement. "As the first museum in the United States dedicated to the full story of women's history, this museum will tell the diverse story of the women who helped shape America."
The lawmakers stress that the museum is vital for accurately depicting U.S. history, which is dominated by the achievements of men and ignores those of women. The legislation notes, for instance, that only 9 out of 91 statues in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall are of women and cites a study that found only 10 percent of American history textbooks detail the contributions of women. The bill also mentions how only one out of the National Park Service's 44 national monuments honor women: the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, which President Obama designated in 2016.
"The American people need and deserve a museum dedicated to telling the story of American women," Jane Abraham, the chair of the American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission, said in a statement. "Women's history is as rich as it is vast and to truly learn about and celebrate our country's history, women's contributions must be showcased in a dedicated museum."
<i>President Obama at the inauguration of the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument in 2016. The historic house was designated to honor National Woman's Party benefactor Alva Belmont and founder Alice Paul. Photo Credit: Shutterstock</i>
The House bill was also accompanied by a Senate version that was co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Both bills were introduced in March to coincide with Women's History Month
"American women have made invaluable contributions to our country in every field, such as government, business, medicine, law, literature, sports, entertainment, the arts, and the military," Collins said in a statement. "A museum dedicated to women's history would help ensure that future generations understand what we owe to those American women who have helped build, sustain, and advance our society."
Sen. Feinstein added that a Smithsonian museum "would be a fitting and long-overdue way to properly recognize women's contributions to our nation's narrative."
Neither bill is scheduled for a vote in Congress, yet supporters aim to pass the legislation by the end of 2020 to honor the passing of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in the U.S.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
While Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, it's also a time to reflect on how they can be better heard and supported.
Black Americans are still fighting for voting rights, facing more severe impacts from COVID-19, and experiencing gaps in workforce representation and pay. Alexandra Schrecengost, hybrid work expert and CEO of "Virtual With Us" and "Culture With Us,' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Premio Lo Nuestro 2022 is kicking off awards season this month with its 34th show. The star-studded event will include performances from Pitbull, Luis Fonsi — and even Sting with his new Spanish-language single "Por Su Amor." Ignacio Meyer, the vice president of music and non-scripted entertainment, Univision, joined Cheddar News to talk about the music award show details. "We’ve actually still got plenty of surprises that were going to be announcing," Meyer said. "We're not done announcing the star power just yet." Singer Camilo leads with 10 nominations going into the event.
Black spending power reached a record $1.6 Trillion in a 2021 report from the University of Georgia Selig Center for Economic Growth. Ayesha Selden, certified financial planner, breaks down why real estate is the key to closing the racial wealth gap and how Black Americans are using social media to improve financial literacy. "If we look at home ownership as being a primary driver of wealth, when you look at the equity that Americans have in their homes, that equity can be used to buy additional assets like other rental properties. That equity can be used to educate our children," Selden said, noting that lower rates of home ownership meant Black Americans tend to incur more debt on average for their student loans.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, discusses the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today; Kendall Becker, fashion editor and trend forecaster, forecasts the hottest trends of 2022, and what will be left in 2021; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Going Circular.'
Dr. Kate Strasdin, fashion historian & senior lecturer in Cultural Studies at Falmouth University, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss the lessons industry leaders draw from history to make fashion more sustainable today.
A new survey from Etoro suggests that talking crypto might actually help Americans on the dating scene find love...or at least land another date. The survey found that 74% of respondents would be more interested in going on a second date with a person that pays the bill in Bitcoin. Callie Cox, Etoro's U.S. investment analyst, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Energy Vault, the company developing sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, is now trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the completion of its business combination with Novus Capital Corporation II. Energy Vault develops sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions designed to advance the transition to a carbon free, resilient power grid. Robert Piconi, co-founder and CEO of Energy Vault, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to disucss.
