Inspired in part by the online campaign Women on 20s, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen introduced a bill on April 15 that would start the process of putting a woman on the $20 bill.
The proposal, which has been referred to a Senate committee, directs the U.S. Treasury Secretary to form a citizen panel that would recommend a woman whose likeness would be featured on the currency.
“Our paper currency is an important part of our everyday lives and reflects our values, traditions, and history as Americans,” Shaheen said in a statement. “It’s long overdue for that reflection to include the contributions of women.”
The Women on 20s campaign’s goal is to have a woman’s face on the $20 bill by 2020, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The campaign has been conducting online polls for possible candidates that might appear on the bill. The current finalists are Wilma Mankiller, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and Harriet Tubman; a final selection will be presented to the White House. — Larry Clow