#39 Why Women Are Missed in History: Joan Wages: How Do We Fix It?

From the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers - through wars, economic change and the struggle for civil rights, American history is overwhelmingly dominated by the achievements and errors of men. Women - because they were largely excluded from public and professional life for most of our history - play a relatively small role in the established narrative of our past. "Role models have a huge impact on the way young girls and women in general think about themselves," says Joan Wages, President and CEO of The National Women's History Museum (https://www.nwhm.org/building-the-museum/). "We need more women role models out in the public sphere so we know about them." In this episode, Joan tells about the campaign for building a National Women's History Museum in Washington D.C. The Museum's website states: "It will be centrally located near the world's most prestigious museums and monuments in our Nation's Capital." Fewer than 20% of the Members of Congress are women. In corporate boardrooms the numbers are even lower. Fewer than 5% of CEO's at Fortune 500 companies are women. "Each time a young girl hears this, it sends a message to them that they're not equal. That's what needs to change." This episode has examples of women forgotten by history and looks at other fixes as well as obstacles as the campaign attempts to correct an imbalance in how women are portrayed.

From the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers - through wars, economic change and the struggle for civil rights, American history is overwhelmingly dominated by the achievements and errors of men. 

Women - because they were largely excluded from public and professional life for most of our history - play a relatively small role in the established narrative of our past. 

"Role models have a huge impact on the way young girls and women in general think about themselves," says Joan Wages, President and CEO of The National Women's History Museum.

"We need more women role models out in the public sphere so we know about them."

In this episode, Joan tells about the campaign for building a National Women's History Museum in Washington D.C. The Museum's website states: "It will be centrally located near the world's most prestigious museums and monuments in our Nation's Capital." 

Fewer than 20% of the Members of Congress are women.  In corporate boardrooms the numbers are even lower.  Fewer than 5% of CEO's at Fortune 500 companies are women.

"Each time a young girl hears this, it sends a message to them that they're not equal. That's what needs to change." 

This episode has examples of women forgotten by history and looks at other fixes as well as obstacles as the campaign attempts to correct an imbalance in how women are portrayed.