The Biden government announced it would resume efforts to reshape the $ 20 bill for abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday it was important that “our money … reflects the history and diversity of our country, and Harriet Tubman’s image on the new $ 20 bill would certainly reflect that. We are looking for ways to accelerate this effort. “
Former President Barack Obama kicked off the effort during his second term in 2016, but the initiative stalled during former President Donald Trump’s one term when he described the move as “sheer political correctness” and suggested that Tubman be moved to Aug. Dollar bill set. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin added the change would not be made until after 2028.
Born into slavery sometime in the 19th century, Tubman eventually fled to Pennsylvania in 1849 and went on 13 missions with the Underground Railroad to free more than 70 slaves. To do this, Tubman relied on a crowd of trustworthy people, both black and white; Fairings; and secret codes used in letters to others.
Tubman even had a gun with him to protect himself from slavers and intimidate runaways who had changed their minds about the liberation and risked the safety of others.
In 2016, Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, explained to NPR what it would mean to see Tubman’s photo on a piece of US currency.
“To me, Harriet Tubman on the $ 20 bill means first and foremost that America is realizing that it’s not the same country as it was before – that it’s a place where diversity matters,” Bunch told All Things Considered. “And it allows us to turn someone like Harriet Tubman who deserves to be a hero into a hero.”
If the change is made, Andrew Jackson’s photo will be moved to the back of the invoice.
Comments are closed.