# What famous woman would you like to see on the $20 bill? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776 "2015-03-23T15:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/21 "2015-03-23T17:24:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Rosa Parks. If we can’t get MLK, I think it’s high time we had a Civil Rights icon as well as the first woman. This would be my choice as well. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/22 "2015-03-23T17:34:17Z")
Amelia Earhart. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/23 "2015-03-23T17:41:01Z")
I voted for Elanor Rosevelt, Harriet Tubman and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It was hard to choose - they all made great contributions! I felt that the woman did need to be somewhat recognizable to be on the bill, if not in name only. And of all of the wonderful contributions the women made as a whole, I felt those 3 spoke most loudly to me. I’d be very happy with whomever wins 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/24 "2015-03-23T17:56:12Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Amelia Earhart. But then they’d go missing all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/25 "2015-03-23T17:59:13Z")
I’d love it if we moved away from putting presidents on the money. Milennia of tradition be damned, it irks me that our politicians are so intertwined with our currency. So yeah, I’d be cool with Susan B. Anthony or Rosa Parks. However, Ayn Rand would be far more appropriate if we wanted to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/26 "2015-03-23T18:05:23Z")
The market has spoken. Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/27 "2015-03-23T18:06:15Z")
Bruce Jenner ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/28 "2015-03-23T18:12:53Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > That’s just an excuse. The real problem was that the US public doesn’t want dollar coins. Notice how Americans didn’t suddenly embrace them when they put presidents on them. I want dollar coins. I just want some heft to them, like British pound coins. They need to feel like they’re worth more than a quarter. I vote for Sojourner Truth, from the list above. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/29 "2015-03-23T18:19:42Z")
Eleanor Roosevelt is my vote. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/30 "2015-03-23T18:26:44Z")
Grace Murray Hopper ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/31 "2015-03-23T18:34:14Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Be fair, not too many people could tell you much about Andrew Jackson without googling. The stuff most people know are the things he’s _in_famous for - having shot & killed a man in a duel (over a comment about his supposedly loose-morals wife), cronyism, the Trail of Tears. Not the type of stuff we like to revere in our national heritage. Except- he wasnt responsible for the Trail of Tears. It was Martin Van Buren. wiki: \*Many white Americans were outraged by the dubious legality of the treaty and called on the government not to force the Cherokee to move. For example, on April 23, 1838, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a letter to Jackson’s successor, President Martin Van Buren, urging him not to inflict “so vast an outrage upon the Cherokee Nation.”[15] Nevertheless, as the May 23, 1838, deadline for voluntary removal approached, President Van Buren assigned General Winfield Scott to head the forcible removal operation. He arrived at New Echota on May 17, 1838, in command of U.S. Army and state militia totalling about 7,000 soldiers. \* I suggest just putting Lady Liberty. No controversy. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/32 "2015-03-23T18:44:58Z")
I think Rosa Parks, hands down. Kills 3 birds with one stone. Woman. Black. Non-president. I’d like to see us move away from presidents, other than Founders. Jefferson, Washington, Franklin. OK. Maybe even Lincoln, healer of a divided nation. But otherwise, let’s honor national heroes. And it sends a message that national heroes can arise from anywhere, not just war. Yep, Rosa Parks. I think that’s perfect! Eleanor Roosevelt… sorry, would never have done 1/10th of what you did if you hadn’t married Franklin. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/33 "2015-03-23T18:51:58Z")
I do not want a fictitious woman (Lady Liberty? Really?) When there are non-fictional men on our money. Seriously, it’s 2015 and there is some debate about maybe acknowledging half the human race on our money? We still have angry old white men on every single one except for the dollar coin, which no one likes anyway? Rosa Parks or Sojourner Truth. Let’s acknowledge how much black women have done for this country. And we should change one more bill, to have a white woman on it. Really I think we should update all of our money, except maybe good ol’ George. I’m not saying we should change them all to women or anything, but change them to more appropriate people instead of (often scummy!) Presidents. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/34 "2015-03-23T19:00:19Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Really I think we should update all of our money, except maybe good ol’ George. I’m not saying we should change them all to women or anything, but change them to more appropriate people instead of (often scummy!) Presidents. Lincoln? Without him there’s still be slaves. And the C-note is Benjamin Franklin, one of the greatest men in history. Then there’s Jefferson and Hamilton, both Founding Fathers. You have a case for Grant & Jackson, sure. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/35 "2015-03-23T19:01:10Z")
No thanks. I have to work like hell to keep women _off_ my money! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/36 "2015-03-23T19:09:05Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yep, Rosa Parks. I think that’s perfect! > > Eleanor Roosevelt… sorry, would never have done 1/10th of what you did if you hadn’t married Franklin. Ms. Parks or Mrs. Roosevelt would be fine with me. FDR wouldn’t have been anybody if Eleanor had not taken him to the poorer houses of she was working with and seen the conditions they lived in. Their marriage may have become a formality, but their political partnership did not, and Eleanor was a huge influence in bringing about things like social security. I’d also go for a young and full color Grace Kelly. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/37 "2015-03-23T19:20:34Z")
Lets get away from politicians. How about artists, authors, composers, scientists? Emily Dickinson Louisa May Alcott Edith Wharton Willa Cather Ruth Crawford Seeger Laurie Anderson Ella Fitzgerald Florence Price Georgia O’Keeffe Cornelia Clapp Alice Brown Annie Jump Cannon Too many choices, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/38 "2015-03-23T19:20:37Z")
$20 bills? Do people still use those? ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/39 "2015-03-23T19:27:49Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I vote for Marilyn Monroe. This was my first thought, even before I saw your post. I like to think that it reflects the level of seriousness with which I view who is on the $20 bill, rather than the level of seriousness with which I view the myriad important women of American history. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776/40 "2015-03-23T19:27:53Z")
I’m torn between Rosa Parks and Alice Paul. As **BLD** noted the former fills two historically excluded groups so I’d lean toward her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-woman-would-you-like-to-see-on-the-20-bill/715776.md?page=3)