More than 72 years after Viola Desmond was arrested for sitting in the whites-only section of a theatre in Nova Scotia, her face now smiles upon Canada from the new $10 bill B次元官网网址� with a little help from Oak Bay historian Merna Forster.
B次元官网网址淲hen I saw the note, I was impressed. I thought it was stunning, a really good likeness of her,B次元官网网址� Forster said after attending the official unveiling of the bill earlier this year in Halifax. B次元官网网址淪ince sheB次元官网网址檚 a civil rights icon, I thought it was a nice touch to have the Human Rights Museum on the other side.B次元官网网址�
In 2013, Forster began a petition for Canadian women to be honoured on the nationB次元官网网址檚 currency B次元官网网址� she didnB次元官网网址檛 have a preference who. ItB次元官网网址檚 an area she is quite familiar with, having also authored 100 Canadian Heronies and then 100 More Canadian Heroines.
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In a to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau B次元官网网址� who then was recently elected B次元官网网址� Forster wrote: B次元官网网址淲ho and what is celebrated on our banknotes matters, as it reflects what we consider important in our culture and history and who we consider worthy of honouring for achievement. Women are not absent from the list of notable worthies in Canada, just notably absent or under-represented in many of the images that surround us and which contribute to our view of the world and our potential role in it.B次元官网网址�
By 2016, more than 73,000 people (including Margaret Atwood) signed ForsterB次元官网网址檚 petition and on Nov. 19, 2018, Desmond was finally acknowledged for the change she inspired in Canada.
B次元官网网址淚 think today with so much racism and TrumpB次元官网网址檚 America, the things that are going on, I think her story inspires people and resonated with them that there was a woman who stood up against racial segregation,B次元官网网址� Forster said.
When Desmond was reprimanded for sitting in the whites-only section of a movie theatre, she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat. After she was released from jail, her husband suggested she forget about the incident. But she didnB次元官网网址檛, taking the matter to court instead. While her marriage didnB次元官网网址檛 last, DesmondB次元官网网址檚 impact on history did.
On March 21, Forster was also honoured for her successful campaign with the Meritorious Service Medal from Governor General Julie Payette. ItB次元官网网址檚 the latest of the historianB次元官网网址檚 awards for her own mark on Canadian history.
While Desmond is not the first woman to lend her face to Canadian currency B次元官网网址� with the Queen and many commemorative collector coins and a short-lived $50 bill showing the Famous Five and activist Th茅r猫se Casgrain B次元官网网址� she is the first Canadian woman on a regularly circulating banknote.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 an inspiring person to have on that bill,B次元官网网址� Forster said. B次元官网网址淚 hope in the future, we will have many other notable women from Canadian history on the bills, because one really isnB次元官网网址檛 enough B次元官网网址� It just seems to me itB次元官网网址檚 so unfortunate many of these amazing women have been forgotten.B次元官网网址�
Forster said she hopes that after the national conversation inspired by Desmond and the $10 bill, the stories of more historical Canadian women will be taught in classrooms across the country.
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@KeiliBartlett
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