The Greatest American

The Greatest American is a public vote, modeled after the 100 Greatest Britons competition, in which citizens of the United States are being asked to nominate, and then later vote for, "the Greatest American" of all time.

Comments and criticisms

Many viewers and media commentators have criticised the shortlist has being extremely androcentric, with only a handful of female politicans, athletes, innovators and entertainers making the cut. Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and Oprah Winfrey are the only three females in the Top 25. Much criticism has been made of the overselection of entertainers and a bias towards recent times at the expense of those who lived in the 18th or 19th centuries. Others have complained about the selection of Ronald Reagan as the Greatest American who lost to Abraham Lincoln, often called the Greatest President. There have also been objections to many candidates being eligible because of the country in which they were born. For example, Albert Einstein and Bob Hope, both of whom are placed in the Top 25, were born in Germany and the United Kingdom respectively. Some feel this disqualifies them from the list because, strictly speaking, they are not "Americans."

Related Topics:
Androcentric - Female - Rosa Parks - Eleanor Roosevelt - Oprah Winfrey - Albert Einstein - Bob Hope - Germany - United Kingdom

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Interestingly, Alexander Graham Bell also appears on the Canadian version of the show, The Greatest Canadian, and the original British program, Great Britons, where he ranked ninth and fifty-seventh place respectively. The scientist, inventor, and founder of the Bell Telephone Company was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1847, before moving to Brantford, Ontario in 1870. Three years later, Bell relocated to Boston, Massachusetts to continue his research into vocal physiology.

Related Topics:
Alexander Graham Bell - The Greatest Canadian - Great Britons - Scientist - Inventor - Bell Telephone Company - Edinburgh - Scotland - 1847 - Brantford - Ontario - 1870 - Boston - Massachusetts - Vocal - Physiology

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