When the honorable feat goes into effect for the
nation’s change in $20 dollar U.S paper money, Harriet Tubman will become the
first African America to be featured on America green back currency and also
the first woman to be depicted on paper currency in America in over 100 years. The
last women on America bill was Martha Washington, America’s first lady. The
very first woman portrayed on paper currency in the U.S was Lucy Pickens.
Why is this chance so important to America and long
overdue? Well because it’s time for chance in America especially with all the
improvements made in America over the last 100 years. For example: women’s
rights to vote, civil rights movements, gay marriages, end of slavery, and so
much more can’t even think over the top of my head but, those are the some of
the heavy hitters that has changed America drastically in the last 100-120 years.
A quote from the U.S paper currency on Harriet Tubman “With her image, the U.S.
is now moving on from the depiction of African-Americans as slaves on
Confederate banknotes to the portrait of a woman who fought for liberation from
slavery. And that liberator’s appearance ends a long absence of
African-Americans – and women of any race or ethnicity.”
“The Treasury Department says it aims to unveil the
design of the currency by 2020, in time for the 100th anniversary of women’s
suffrage, when the 19th Amendment was ratified by enough states to become part
of the U.S. Constitution. The new $20 likely won’t enter circulation for
another few years.” Andrew Jackson will still be on the $20 bill, but on the back
of the $20 dollar bill. “The back of the $20, which now shows the White House,
will be redesigned to include the White House and Jackson, whose statute stands
across the street in Lafayette Park.”
“The only currency known to the constitution of the
United States is gold and silver. This is consequently the only currency which
that instrument delegates to Congress the power to regulate. A general paper
currency, being unknown to the constitution, does not come within the scope of
any of its provisions, and cannot be regulated under its authority.” –Andrew Jackson
This chance in the $20 dollar bill kick starts a lot
of debates; I for one believe it’s a positive piece of American history to support
the makeover. It was a very important time in the era of slavery but to be a women
and a leader to help slaves escape and campaign for women’s suffrage later on after
the civil war is a remarkable feat that should be recognize in the honor as such
being consider for a new makeover on the $20 dollar bill
National
Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History, CC BY-SA 
