WID voices support for American women's history museum

http://ARLINGTON, VA -- The nation needs to know “herstory,” the enormous impact women have had on the United States, and the best way to convey the message is through a national women’s history museum in the nation’s capital, Women In Defense said in a Jan. 25 letter of support to Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).

“Americans cannot understand and value women’s contributions if they don’t know about those contributions,” wrote Rachel McCaffrey, executive director for WID, an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association. While many American museums recognize women’s contributions, those contributions are secondary to each museum’s primary focus, she wrote.

“We need a museum of ‘herstory,’ where Americans can learn, share and understand how women played a vital role in creating the world’s greatest democracy,” McCaffrey wrote. She also noted that for the location, “there’s no better choice than ‘American’s front yard,’ ” a frequently used reference for the National Mall in Washington, home to many of the Smithsonian Institution museums.

McCaffrey’s letter is in support of H.R. 19, the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act, which Maloney introduce late last year.

Read McCaffrey’s complete letter to Maloney here.