Why Harriet Tubman Deserves To Be On The Twenty Dollar Bill

Since 1928, Andrew Jackson’s face has been displayed on the 20 dollar bill. It’s no surprise however, for the only people who’ve been given the honor to be placed on paper money have been white men, the only citizens of the United States not considered minorities.

But there was going to be a change for the good in American currency to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment which permitted women the right to vote. However, this has been delayed until 2028 for former president Donald Trump had made the decision to not do so. He said he thought it’d be more “appropriate” to place this astonishing hero who saved 100s of lives on the rarely ever used 2 dollar bill which is entirely outrageous.

But what some people don’t seem to get is the fact that white men weren’t the only ones who made this country. And Andrew Jackson is no exception.

Andrew Jackson was a slave owner himself and even led to the movement of 50,000 Native Americans resulting in the death of 4,000 when he ordered their “relocation” in what is commonly called “The Trail of Tears.”

In contrast, Harriet Tubman had escaped slavery by going 100 miles from the southern state of Maryland to the northern state, Delaware. Not only did she escape herself, but she made 19 trips back and forth taking other enslaved people with her to spare them from any more hardships in slavery. Each time she could’ve been caught and killed, yet she was so brave and generous to risk her life not only to save her loved ones but strangers too. She even ended up forming alliances with the people she met and went with them on armed expeditions to take many people by boat. Not only did Harriet save people this way but she saved possibly a thousand slaves from helping with the construction of the underground railroad.

Though most people know her as the extraordinary woman and former slave who freed hundreds, even thousands, many don’t know she was also involved in the Civil War as a Union spy. In 1863, Harriet Tubman led soldiers with Colonel James Montgomery to raid rice plantations along the Combahee River in South Carolina. They set fire to buildings, destroyed bridges, and freed many of the slaves on the plantations. When slaves saw Tubman’s ships with African American Union soldiers on board, they ran towards them as their overseers cruely, yet helplessly demanded that they stay.

She was the only woman in all of history to lead such a feat.

Not only was she a successful contribution to the American Civil War and the emancipation of many enslaved African Americans, but also a major addition to the Suffrage Movement. Harriet Tubman helped play a vital role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Many supporters of Harriet Tubman during her Underground Railroad years were involved in the women’s rights movement. They even let her use her properties to harbor fugitives and funded her trips! And after the Civil War the women’s right movement expanded even more, as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Canton and Lucretia Mott had also become strong advocates and leaders of the women’s rights movement.

Tubman thus believed in the equality of all people, black or white, male or female. Of course she wanted to join the women’s rights movement! Tubman wasn’t precisely a leader exactly in the women's right suffrage, however she was a highly strong supporter. As a woman who had fought for her own freedom and the freedom of others, Tubman set to work with her friends by touring and giving speeches about her own experiences as a female slave. She also spoke out as a liberator of hundreds born under the bondage of slavery. She described her years as “Moses” as well as the incredible impact she had on those who found freedom as she was a highly religious woman, with religion being the only thing to comfort her in her earlier years. Some say she was also really into gospel and that she had an extraordinary singing voice. She toured all over states such as New York, Boston and Washington speaking in favor of women’s suffrage rights.

With these accomplishments, anyone should easily see that Harriet Tubman deserves to be on the 20 dollar bill. Clearly, Harriet Tubman was all over the place helping anyone from being discriminated against. She was highly empathetic as she knew with a deep, true meaning what it felt like to be not only discriminated against, but to the point where it felt as if she was in a box. That box was called slavery and she never knew she’d ever make it out. But when she did, all she wanted to do was help everyone!!! She even risked becoming a slave again by going back to the south 19 times!

Yet, all Andrew Jackson did was enjoy the rich life of a ruthless slave owner and couldn’t care less who was hurt or killed as long as it meant he had a good income.

Records show that Jackson didn’t only own slaves, but he dared to even beat them as well. And when abolitionists attempted to send anti-slavery tracts to the South during Jackson’s presidency (1829-1837), he helped ban their delivery and called them monsters that should “atone for this wicked attempt with their lives.”

Many people even ponder how the U.S. got themselves into such a situation by voting on such a horrendous 7th president, claiming that he caused the U.S. to evolve into a mass democracy, in which white men of all socioeconomic classes were enfranchised. He was a slaver, ethnic teaser, and tyrant. To add on to this, he claimed that he embodied the people in the same way that Louis XIV believed that he was France, earning him the title “King Andrew I '' from his opponents. Many also claim should’ve been impeached.

Not only people from today have said such things about this unfit president, but even people from the past saw through his cold, shallow heart. Thomas Jefferson’s words to Daniel Webster in 1824 listed much of the same points:

“I feel much alarmed at the prospect of seeing General Jackson President. He is one of the most unfit men I know of for such a place. He has had very little respect for laws and constitutions, and is, in fact, an able military chief. His passions are terrible. When I was President of the Senate, he was Senator; and he could never speak on account of the rashness of his feelings. I have seen him attempt it repeatedly, and as often choke with rage. His passions are, no doubt, cooler now; he has been much tried since I knew him, but he is a dangerous man.”

And yet he is a so-called “role model” for our current president. That’s right, you heard me correctly. Trump’s dream is to be just like quite possibly the worst man for the job, which is arguably part of the reason why he is also not fit for the occupation. Thank goodness he wasn’t alive back then, or we might’ve just had two Andrew Jacksons if we don’t already! In fact, Trump is so fond of Jackson that he believes he could’ve stopped the Civil War, however most people in a right state of mind argue that Jackson would and probably did make the war worse. Yet racist old Trump STILL wants to replace Tubman with a racist, white southern man!

However, Jackson was different from being just a white, racist, southern man. This white, racist, southern man was the President! This is the president we’re talking about, not just some old, haughty, racist farmer! And he was put in charge of our nation by many other white men who were more than likely also southerners, as white men were the only people permitted to vote and there were more southern states than northern.

And according to Jackson and his followers and supporters, Harriet Tubman was the bad guy! She was apparently wanted for “stealing” the southerner’s slaves armed, however they were people and didn’t rightfully belong to anyone but themselves! She was accused of being illiterate when the fact of the matter was that was undoubtedly not her fault, for she’d never even been given the opportunity to be educated. And the so-called “educated” southerners couldn’t even spell in the first place if one even took a second to look at those wanted posters!

And while racist white southerners may have thought Harriet Tubman was a “criminal” for trying to free their slaves, as if they were objects, the only real “crime” she did was free hundreds of enslaved people who’d been deprived of the freedom, education, and all of the rights they rightfully deserved. And if that’s a crime, so sue me, for if I was in her situation, if I could, I would try to do the incredible feats she did as well! I never said I could but I would try!!!!

The real criminal was Andrew Jackson for he’d killed thousands of Native Americans and assaulted the people he’d enslaved as if he was wacking a couch. He didn’t care for anyone or anything but his money, that ruthless hunk of junk!

Such an inhumane man, does not deserve the privilege to be granted the space on our currency, especially when an inspirational woman like Harriet Tubman could’ve been there all along. And anyone who thinks otherwise in my opinion is completely and utterly ignorant and can’t see what’s right under their noses!

Thus, it is a new day tomorrow, and we will not take it any longer, this racial discrimination. No matter what race, we are all capable of incredible things and we shall all be treated equally and based not on our looks or even abilities, but instead our personalities. Jackson was a racist and should be looked down on for his inexcusable actions. However, Harriet Tubman should be looked upon as the strong, intelligent, strength, tenacity filled, persistent, caring, and determined women she was.

We’ve waited long enough. She has earned her place on our currency and in the near future I expect no less than the face of Harriet Tubman on the 20 dollar bill.

It's time for a change to our paper money. Specifically, it’s time to break with the all-white male tradition and put both a woman’s and African American’s face on U.S. currency. After all, it’s already 2020, the 100th anniversary of female suffrage.

After all, Jackson, the current president on the 20 dollar bill was but a disappointing slave owner. And Tubman, was the real hero who escaped slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, helping lead hundreds to possibly over a thousand people to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

And action has already been taken.

Dano Wall, 33, has created a 3-D stamp that can be used to stamp a portrait of Tubman over Andrew Jackson’s on $20 bills. “My goal is to get 5,000 stamps out there. If there are 5,000 people consistently stamping currency, we could get a significant percent of circulating $20 bills [with the Tubman] stamp, at which point it would be impossible to ignore.”

He stated “Putting Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill would have constituted a monumental symbolic change, disrupting the pattern of white men who appear on our bills," he said, "and, by putting her on the most popular note currently in circulation, indicates exactly what kind of a life we choose to celebrate; what values we, as a country, most hope to emulate. Harriet Tubman’s unparalleled grit, intelligence, and bravery over the course of her long life certainly make her worthy of such an honor. “

“The vast majority of people don’t notice it was stamped,” Wall said.

Hopefully however there will come a day where Harriet Tubman is noticed to be on the 20 dollar bill, as she is, like Wall stated, worthy of such an honor. Until that day we shall continue to speak up for what we know is right. We shall celebrate Harriet Tubman for all she’s done, even if it’s not putting her face on the 20 dollar bill quite yet.

One day Harriet Tubman will be commemorated for her achievements, and I’ll be waiting until that day to tell everyone who doubted it, “I told you so!!!”

Afterall, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”-Harriet Tubman

And my dream for Harriet Tubman to go on the 20 dollar bill shall not end. I’ll have the patience to wait until it happens at last.