# The greatest 20th Century Americans who aren't household names? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173 "2006-03-20T18:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/1 "2006-03-20T18:38:25Z")
Everyone has heard of FDR, MLK, Edison, and Elvis. But who is the most accomplished or prominent American of the 20th Century that is not recognizable by the masses? One that strikes me is George Marshall. This guy should be someone that EVERYONE knows. But I’ll bet most people wouldn’t know who he was and wouldn’t even know what the Marshall Plan was. They may have heard of the Marshall Plan, but I’ll bet it runs together with the Teapot Dome Scandal and “Fifty-Four Forty or FIGHT!” as yet another piece of history they don’t remember. But Marshall truly stands out as a historically significant figure. He was in the military before tanks and airplanes were used and left after the atom was split to enter the age of atomic warfare. He was instrumental in planning and implementing WW2 Strategy. He spearheaded the plan of economic rebuilding for Europe. He served as Sect. of State and Defense. He won the noble prize and twice was named Time’s Man of the Year. That is a heck of a resume. I wonder if he is better remembered in Europe. Because here, he is just another name in the history book that kids remember until the test. Who else is out there that is historically prominent but gets shafted by average Americans? Make your case for them. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/2 "2006-03-20T18:54:12Z")
[Peter Francisco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Francisco), the Hercules of the American Revolution, whose strength was so great it bordered upon the superhuman. BTW-- his life’s story has curious parallels to Superman’s. I’ve wondered if the RL Francisco might have served as inspiration for the fictional Man Of Steel. ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/3 "2006-03-20T19:14:26Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > But who is the most accomplished or prominent American of the 20th Century that is not recognizable by the masses? > \ > Make your case for them. Three for the price of one: **Henry Kissinger** , similarly **Robert McNamara** , and for that matter **Bobby Kennedy**. I know that I don’t have to justify them on this board, but among my peers (I’m a 19 year old college student), no one has heard of McNamara, no one knows anything about Kissinger except his name, and no one even knows that Robert Kennedy was assassinated while running for president. And I do know that Kissinger is German, but he still counts. To hijack/rant: It’s sad that my generation seems to know less about the Vietnam War than, say, the War of 1812. My high school history class spent one day on the former and two weeks on the latter. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/4 "2006-03-20T19:32:00Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > [Peter Francisco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Francisco), the Hercules of the American Revolution, whose strength was so great it bordered upon the superhuman. > > BTW-- his life’s story has curious parallels to Superman’s. I’ve wondered if the RL Francisco might have served as inspiration for the fictional Man Of Steel. Did you read the 20th century part of the op? 😉 How about Jonas Salk, Born in NYC, Developer of Polio Vaccine He should be a household name and strangely enough is not. Jim ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/5 "2006-03-20T19:38:59Z")
Norman Borlaug, easily. With all due respect, unless we’re making a list that continues past the top spot, the thread pretty much ends with Borlaug. It can be reasonably argued that in terms of helping other human beings, Borlaug is the greatest human being who ever lived. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/6 "2006-03-20T19:45:11Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Norman Borlaug, easily. With all due respect, unless we’re making a list that continues past the top spot, the thread pretty much ends with Borlaug. It can be reasonably argued that in terms of helping other human beings, Borlaug is the greatest human being who ever lived. When you make a statement like that please cite what he did. Who is [Norman](http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-bio.html)? 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/7 "2006-03-20T19:53:53Z")
Norman Borlaug is the first person who came to my mind. His birthday is coming up (March 25). How come it isn’t a holiday? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/8 "2006-03-20T19:54:48Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > When you make a statement like that please cite what he did. Who is [Norman](http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-bio.html)? 😉 > > Jim Saying what he did totally blows the point of the thread. I wanted people to say “Norman Borlaug? Who the hell is that?” and then go Google him. His accomplishments are so amazing, and his name so unknown, and the first time I heard about him and looked him up I thought it was some kind of put-on, like Spinal Tap. Nobody could be that centrally important to saving that many lives, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/9 "2006-03-20T19:55:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Norman Borlaug, easily. With all due respect, unless we’re making a list that continues past the top spot, the thread pretty much ends with Borlaug. It can be reasonably argued that in terms of helping other human beings, Borlaug is the greatest human being who ever lived. I came in here to nominate him - but fittingly enough, I couldn’t remember his name. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/10 "2006-03-20T20:05:50Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Saying what he did totally blows the point of the thread. I wanted people to say “Norman Borlaug? Who the hell is that?” and then go Google him. > > His accomplishments are so amazing, and his name so unknown, and the first time I heard about him and looked him up I thought it was some kind of put-on, like Spinal Tap. Nobody could be that centrally important to saving that many lives, I thought. I’m sorry I ruined it. ☹ I knew of him, but in honesty only because of his tie-in the Tribble Epsiode. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/11 "2006-03-20T20:32:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I came in here to nominate him - but fittingly enough, I couldn’t remember his name. Same here; I was thinking of him but couldn’t remember his name. And I think the first place I ever heard of him was just last year on Penn and Teller’s show Bullshit, although I don’t remember the context. Since he’s already been named, how about Philo Farnsworth? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/12 "2006-03-20T20:42:08Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > …snip… > Since he’s already been named, how about Philo Farnsworth? Don’t you think some people would consider him one of the worst Americans? 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/13 "2006-03-21T00:33:44Z")
**[Edward Deming](http://www.deming.org/)**, father of modern industrial statistical theory and practice. The discoverers and synthesizers of [Taxol](http://www.research.fsu.edu/researchr/fall2002/taxol.html). ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/14 "2006-03-21T00:37:49Z")
[Vannevar Bush](http://www.ibiblio.org/pioneers/bush.html) Charles Townes, Arthur Schawlow (MASER) Theodore Maiman, Gordon Gould (LASER) ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/15 "2006-03-21T04:18:42Z")
Willis Haviland Carrier ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/16 "2006-03-21T08:36:08Z")
Igor Sikorsky? ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/17 "2006-03-21T18:28:38Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Saying what he did totally blows the point of the thread. I wanted people to say “Norman Borlaug? Who the hell is that?” and then go Google him. > > His accomplishments are so amazing, and his name so unknown, and the first time I heard about him and looked him up I thought it was some kind of put-on, like Spinal Tap. Nobody could be that centrally important to saving that many lives, I thought. I am glad I started this thread. I had never heard of him but what an accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/18 "2006-03-22T00:38:30Z")
'nother one… He may not be a Nobel Prize winner, but [Clarence “Kelly” Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Johnson) is certainly up there in my book. Hey, a lot of the planes he designed are going to be flying long after most of us are dead and forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/19 "2006-03-27T15:47:32Z")
Nikola Tesla’s work in developing radio technology is usually forgotten when compared to Marconi. More’s the pity… > **[Tesla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla)** > > Tesla most commonly refers to: > Tesla may also refer to: ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173/20 "2006-03-27T18:19:09Z")
[Richard Feynman](http://nobelprize.org/physics/laureates/1965/feynman-bio.html), I think, should be remembered as easily as Albert Einstein. Not only a brilliant man but a fun, quirky one, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-20th-century-americans-who-arent-household-names/349173.md?page=2)