Harriet Tubman is coming to the $20!
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is expected to
announce that the abolitionist hero will replace Andrew Jackson on the
front of the U.S. paper currency, and also keep Alexander Hamilton on
the $10 bill, Politico reports.
Additionally, female leaders from the American suffrage movement will reportedly be featured on the back of the $10 bill.
The big money move has drawn widespread praise,
including from presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, who tweeted, "A
woman, a leader, and a freedom fighter. I can't think of a better choice
for the $20 bill than Harriet Tubman."
Political activist and current first lady of New
York City Chirlane McCray -- who is married to Mayor Bill de Blasio --
also celebrated the news, tweeting, "Justice is served. #GoodbyeJackson
#HelloHarriet."
Last year, the Treasury Deptartment's plans to
replace Hamilton on the $10 bill drew criticism both from advocates of
having a female historical figure replace the controversial Jackson, and
supporters of leaving Hamilton on his bill, especially as the hit
Broadway musical, Hamilton, has continued to win hearts and ears during
its sold-out New York City run.
The musical's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda even reportedly lobbied Lew to keep Hamilton on the currency.
One vocal opponent to Tubman's inclusion on the $20 in the past was The View co-host Raven-Symone, who said last year that she believed Rosa Parks would be a better choice.
"No offense to everyone that's going to be mad at
me for saying this, I don't like that idea. I don't like it," she said
at the time. "I think we need to move a little bit forward. Let me just
preface that I understand the history, I get it, trust me, I was taught,
I'm in that culture."
"I would have chosen someone that is closer to the
progression that we're doing now," she continued. "And I know you have
to understand history so that you don't repeat it, but that doesn't
really happen in our world, because we still repeat history of hating
other cultures over and over again. So I would choose a different one,
no offense."
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