BOSTON UNCOMMON?

A great way to spend a spring afternoon is by enjoying a sunny walk in the Boston Common, the oldest city park in America.

The park celebrates great achievers and leaders. People pay homage to the victories and sacrifices made by freedom fighters and abolitionists. We remember them and thank them for the progress made.

Among these greats, not one recognized is a woman.

The closest statue to the Common is Mary Dyer, a Quaker that fought for religious liberty. Her statue appears just outside the Boston Common, the very place she was executed for her beliefs.

Imagine all the women that shaped our history and remain unrecognized to this day. Take Watson and Crick as an example. The structure of DNA was credited to these two men, while the instrumental discoveries of Rosalind Franklin remain unbeknownst to most.

One very deserving name is Henrietta Swan Leavitt, an astronomer at a time women were not allowed to own telescopes. She discovered the science which allows us to measure the distance to the furthest reaches of the universe. Many scientists have used her discovery, which has led them to great fame. However, Henrietta Leavitt herself remains unrecognized, even in Harvard College Observatory where she worked.

As the author George Johnson once eloquently said, Henrietta Swan Leavitt was the one “who discovered how to measure the universe.” As such an impactful figure in history, one would be confused as to why she is not celebrated with the other trailblazers, leaders, and influencers. She would surely be a worthy addition to the great achievers memorialized in the Boston Common.

As I walked around the Boston Common, I had all these thoughts. I hope to see the day when a little girl walks into the Boston Common and sees possibilities in these aspirational women.