Hillary Clinton's Legacy: Most Notable Woman in American History

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I'd have to disagree with you on this one. Hillary's notable, but there's no way she beats Mrs. Roosevelt. Just her work with the UN alone should put her on top.  Without Eleanor, there would be no Hillary.

Other than one and two, I like your picks.

Though you might want to substitute Mary Pickford (for founding a United Artisits and directing, though uncredited, in addition to being a screen star) for Marilyn (or use both) in the runners-up.

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by: heath_harrison @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 03:46:22 AM UTC

Clinton or Roosevelt (4.00 / 3)

I might be persuaded to agree about Roosevelt.  Although Hillary did receive more primary votes than anyone up to that point in history (not counting caucus states obviously) and she was one of the most policy oriented first ladies in history- certainly following in Roosevelt's shoes.  

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by: Jeremiah @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:29:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

A woman's view (4.00 / 1)

You guys are missing LOTS of women on your list.  This is what happens when we let the men write history (wink wink...PDAWV, you are so sleeping on the couch tonight--I can't believe your only objection to the list was the order of Eleanor Roosevelt!!). Here are a few examples:

Dolly Madison - rockin' First Lady who saved the Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington, along with a number of other treasures and important state papers when the British invaded Washington, D.C. and burned the White House in 1814.  

Elizabeth Blackwell - first woman doctor and notable Abolitionist

Florence Nightengale - instrumental along with Blackwell in establishing training for women in the medical profession.

Antoinette Brown Blackwell - first ordained female minister in the U.S.  She was a notable activist for women's suffrage and the rights of African Americans, and the only member of the 1850 Women's Rights Convention to live to see the 19th Ammendment passed.

Harriet Beecher Stowe - author of Uncle Tom's Cabin and notable Abolitionist

Belva Lockwood - among the first women to be admitted to any bar association in the United States, and the first woman to argue in front of the US Supreme Court
Lucy Stone - prominent Suffragette, Abolitionist, first woman in Massachusetts to receive a college degree, and the first woman recorded in U.S. History to keep her maiden name.

Julia Ward Howe - another important Abolitionist and pioneer for women's rights.  Also, notably the author of the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Sara Jane Lippencott - primarily under the pseudonym Grace Greenwood, Lippencott was a pioneering female journalist and the first woman on the payroll of the NY Times.  

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by: Dandelion @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 14:21:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh, now I see Harriett (4.00 / 1)

You have Harriett Beecher Stowe on your original list, I missed her.  Mea culpa. ;)

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by: Dandelion @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 14:24:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good list (4.00 / 1)

But I would have to agree w/ heath_harrison.  I think Eleanor has to go to the top.    Just too many molds broken there.

Very thought-provoking though.  I think Hillary would definitely deserve the #2 spot on the list.

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by: PDAWV @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 03:52:40 AM UTC

I would add a couple more to the list... (4.00 / 3)

How about Alice Paul for all her work in getting women the right to vote?

And...we are in West Virginia, right?  I would add Mother Jones to the list for her unyielding efforts on behalf of workers.

While I'm at it, I think there is a strong argument to be made that Ruth Bader Ginsburg is more notable than Sandra Day O'Connor.  Sure, people remember SDO as being the first woman on the Court, but Ginsburg has done more to help women both before she was on the Court and since she has been on the Court.  Of course, I realize that the criteria is not impact on women, so I won't dwell too much on this...

Bottom line--great list and thanks for writing it.  It will take some years before we can look back and really appreciate all that Hillary has done I think.

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by: kmbaker @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:15:04 AM UTC

Mother Jones (4.00 / 3)

Mother Jones is one of my favorite people in US history, period.  She should be added to the conversation.  Jeannette Rankin should also be considered in the conversation.

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by: Jeremiah @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:33:46 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

O'Conner or Ginsburg (4.00 / 2)

Other than being the first woman on the SC and an AZ senator, Conner wrote many SC opinions that actually determined the course the court would take.  She was, in effect, often the tie breaker.  I agree with Ginsburg on more issues and she is certainly significant but in my opinion falls short of O'Conner from the historical perspective.  

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by: Jeremiah @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 04:22:05 AM UTC

And I'd reverse Harriet Tubman an Rosa Parks. (4.00 / 3)

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by: Bobzim @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 10:58:36 AM UTC

Tubman or Parks (0.00 / 0)

I do not want to take anything away from Harriet Tubman.  She helped countless slaves in the underground railroad, worked tirelessly for abolition of slavery and later for women's suffrage.  She is also known to have assisted John Brown in his attempt to kick off a slave rebellion by giving him names of people that would be interested in his cause.  Some say that Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry ignited the passion of Southerner's and hardened their will for succession.  

That being said, Rosa Parks single handedly performed the most famous act of civil disobedience in US history and perhaps world history.  It not only launched the career of Martin Luther King Jr. but could probably be considered the spark that ignited the Civil Rights movement in the United States and, as we all know, that fight led us to this point in history where someone like Barack Obama could be the next President of the United States.  It is all truly remarkable.  Both women were great Americans and will be known for the duration of our history.  

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by: Jeremiah @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 14:48:01 PM UTC

Not to pick a fight or diminish Rosa Park's effort, but I have to say that (4.00 / 1)

a lot of the perception of her action that day is hype. Just because her refusal to give up her seat was orchestrated and that she was chosen because the ignorants were less likely to physically harm a woman is no reason to discount her contribution.

But it pales in comparison to the life-risking efforts of Harriet Tubman and Ghandi's Salt March.

Good discussion, though.

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by: Bobzim @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 15:27:33 PM UTC

I'm sorta partial to Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck. (4.00 / 1)

She's likely most widely recognized as the author of The Good Earth. Originally written under the pen-name of PEARL WALSH, it rocketed her from obscurity to international fame. The Good Earth headed the best seller list for months, sold nearly two million copies, and was translated into thirty languages. It inspired a Broadway play and a Hollywood film, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. In it she described Chinese culture in detail and helped prepare Americans of the 1930s to consider Chinese as allies in the coming war with Japan.

In 1934, because of difficult conditions in China, she moved back to the United States where she became very active in American Civil Rights as well as women's rights campaigns.

Her humanitarianism is also seen in her actions in the establishment of the East and West Association and the Welcome House adoption agency for Asian Americans. She also established the Pearl Buck Foundation, which provides sponsorship for thousands of children in Asian countries.

After World War II, in a move to aid illegitimate children of U.S. servicemen in Asian countries, she instituted the Pearl S. Buck Foundation.

Most folks aren't even aware of the children's books she authored under the name John Sedges. Nor do they likely remember that in 1955, Buck publicly criticized social workers and religious institutions for standing between tens of thousands of homeless children and willing parents in order to preserve their jobs. She believed that families formed by love-rather than prejudices based on race, religion, nation, and blood-were living expressions of democracy that could counteract communist charges that America's global defense of freedom was deeply hypocritical in the era of Jim Crow.

In 1967 she turned over to her Foundation most all of her life's earnings - more than $7,000,000.

Pearl Buck is one of only 226 inductees in the National Women's Hall of Fame.

http://www.greatwomen.org/wome...

Not too shabby considering that she started out as a dirt-poor hillbilly from Hillsboro, WV, eh?

I also greatly admire Mother Jones, but someone else already nominated her for your list.

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by: One Citizen @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 17:22:07 PM UTC

Loved the discussion (0.00 / 0)

In addition to the other names, I'm going to through in Angelina Jolie's, not because of her role as an actress, but for her work with the United Nations and children's causes internationally.

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Thu Jun 12, 2008 at 23:51:44 PM UTC

Angelina Jolie (0.00 / 0)

I certainly did not expect her name to be tossed in the ring but I see where you are going with that.  In terms of raising awareness about international issues I would point to the earlier reference about Roosevelt and Pearl Buck.

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by: Jeremiah @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 17:53:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Emma Goldman and Margaret Sanger (0.00 / 0)

I think we could go on and on with this list, which is a good thing, but I would be wrong to not throw out the names of Emma Goldman and Margaret Sanger as well.  Goldman is one of the most quotable women in American history and Sanger spearheaded the crusade for women's access to birth control.

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by: Jeremiah @ Fri Jun 13, 2008 at 17:57:04 PM UTC