Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sunday still:currencies



I am very proud of Kate Sheppard. Her image appears on our ten dollar note. She is mainly responsible for New Zealand to be the first country to give women the vote in modern times.

Katherine Wilson Sheppard (10 March 1847 – 13 July 1934) was the most prominent member of New Zealand's women's suffrage movement, and is the country's most famous suffragette. Because New Zealand was the first country to introduce universal suffrage, Sheppard's work had a considerable impact on women's suffrage movements in other countries. During one of the protest movement, she led a whole group of ladies to lie down on the road and the police couldn't do anything.

Sheppard played a considerable part in getting the women's suffrage bill was successfully passed, granting women full voting rights. Sheppard herself was widely acknowledged as the leader of the women's suffrage movement.

An elderly friend in her 80s told me that when she was growing up, the girls wanted to be like Kate.

Sheppard is considered to be an important figure in New Zealand's history. A memorial to her exists in Christchurch.

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

9 comments:

Barry said...

Way to GO Kate!

I wonder if she was any relation t my maternal grandmother who was also a Shepherd.

wenn said...

great info..

threecollie said...

Really neat!

dinzie said...

It's good that we've recognised her by putting her on the 10 dollar note

D

Anonymous said...

Nice selection. :)

Ed said...

Very cool!!! I have a coin on my blog with the first woman on U.S. Currency, Susan B. Anthony who was the U.S. equivilent to your Susan Shepherd..:-))

Reader Wil said...

Wonderful post, Ann! I admire Katherine Wilson Sheppard! And all those who have fought for women's rights! Thanks for visiting.

flowerweaver said...

Very colorful bill, and I love the little shaped cut-out! The history behind Kate is very powerful! Thank you for sharing her history with us!

Holly said...

cool photo and history lesson!