On April 20th, 2016 it was announced by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew that Harriet Tubman would be replacing the controversial Andrew Jackson on the $20 dollar bill. Almost a year after the treasury conceded to give women a spot on the country's paper currency, the news of Tubman's new home on the $20 broke the internet. However, while many rejoiced over the much needed change to the design of the U.S's currency, one has to wonder why it has been over a hundred years since a woman has graced the green of currency in America
In 1886 Martha Washington, wife of George Washington, was placed on the $1 dollar silver certificate, though her appearance on it was short lived as she was discontinued at the approach of the new century, thus ending the representation of females on paper currency for over a generation. Martha Washington was not the only female represented on paper currency as in the 1860s Pocahontas was represented on the back of a $20 bill which is distastefully ironic considering the actions of the figure on it now, but fitting when looking forward to Harriet Tubman, another strong and revered woman, who will boot out Jackson in 2020.
To give a very brief history Harriet Tubman's original name was Minty, which she changed upon leaving her plantation in Dochester, Maryland in September 1849 arriving to freedom in Pennsylvania in October. This iconoclast figure took her first name (Harriet) from her mother's christian name and her last name (Tubman) from her husband's last name, who though free decided not to accompany her on her journey to freedom. After making her initial trip to Pennsylvania at the age of 27, Tubman used the underground railroad to selflessly guide over 70 other people to freedom, including her three younger brothers. Additionally, Tubman was an active abolitionist, suffragist, and a spy for the union during the civil war, and though her role in this historical event is not often talked about in history classes , "In 1858, Tubman helped Brown ( John) plot a raid on a government arsenal in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, with the aim of stealing weapons to arm slaves for rebellion"
Despite women's scant representation on paper currency, they have been better represented on coin with Sacajawea Why woman have not been better represented in American currency is unclear though part of the reason may be the government's aversion to change in currency design, as suggested by the fact that, 2001 Whatever the reason, hopefully Harriet Tubman's placement on the $20 dollar bill will encourage more women to be designed into the currency in the future which President Obama has deemed as a, " a pretty good idea."
