At a recent speech in Kansas City, President Obama told the crowd about a letter he received from a girl asking why there aren’t any women on our current currency.
The President said:
“And then she gave me like a long list of possible women to put on our dollar bills and quarters and stuff, which I thought was a pretty good idea.”
There have been a few pieces of U.S. currency in the past honoring women (not including the fictional “Lady Liberty”, etc.), for example:
1. The Martha Washington Silver $1 Silver Certificate – 1880s
2. The Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coin – 1970s
3. The Sacagawea Dollar Coin – 2000s
4. The Martha Washington “First Spouse” $10 Gold Coin (Uncirculated) – 2007
5. The $20 Bill Featuring Pocahontas – 1875
How About Frances Perkins?
On his recent MSNBC show, pundit Lawrence O’Donnell made a great case for Frances Perkins, who was appointed by Franklin Roosevelt as his Secretary of Labor, the first woman ever appointed to a U.S. cabinet post. Did you know that Perkins is basically responsible for Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and many other New Deal programs that helped make this country great? Check out the Frances Perkins Center for more information about this remarkable woman in our history.
FDR Appoints Frances Perkins as Labor Secretary – 1933
Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert couldn’t help but take a swipe at pay inequality in America: 
You can check out the President’s whole speech in Kansas City below:
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