The face of American currency is currently very male and very white. After a push by “Women On 20s” — a non-profit organization which “aims to compel historic change by convincing President Obama that now is the time to put a woman’s face on our paper currency” — the Treasury Department announced last week that Harriet Tubman would be the new face of the $20 bill.
Way to go Harriet Tubman!
(Note: let me share at the onset that the Intramuralist doesn’t have a strong opinion on this matter; that, however, is not the point of today’s post.)
Harriet Tubman is regarded as one of America’s most prominent abolitionists; her goal was to eliminate slavery and set people free. Utilizing the Underground Railroad’s network of secret routes and safe houses, Tubman — who was born into slavery — escaped and then assisted approximately 70 enslaved people via 13 dangerous, secretive trips, ushering persons out of slavery and into freedom in the 1840’s and 50’s in Maryland.
Andrew Jackson is the current face of the $20 bill…
Andrew Jackson served as the seventh U.S. President from 1829 to 1837. He was a courier during the Revolutionary War — captured and mistreated by his British captors as a teen — a colonel in the Tennessee militia, the hero of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, and then later served in both the House of Representatives and Senate, prior to being elected President. His supporters would go on to found what has become the Democratic Party. Jackson, also, was a slave owner. He owned hundreds of slaves.
As for the bill itself, when first issued in 1914, the currency originally featured Grover Cleveland, the country’s 22nd and 24th President. Fifteen years later, Jackson was chosen to don the currency instead.
Last week, no less, the Treasury Dept. announced multiple future changes to American currency, with Tubman becoming the first African American appearing on U.S. paper money ever, and the first woman in 100 years. Treasury Sec. Jack Lew called it a “powerful message.” Jackson will be moved to the back of the bill.
Again… way to go Harriet Tubman!
What I find interesting is how our opinion of people changes over the course of history. At one point, Andrew Jackson was considered worthy of such an honor; in fact, for decades he was considered worthy.
As time goes on, however, many — who were not alive when he was, by the way — believe Jackson is not worthy.
And so it begs the question:
Who among us now do we feel is worthy of great honor that as time goes on, as history is revised, those who come after will say, “What were they thinking?!”
Where will the interpretation of history change?
On whom will history cast a different light than we see now?
… Barack Obama? … Hillary Clinton? … Donald Trump?
Oh, that history…
What a funny and fascinating thing…
Respectfully…
AR