Biden recommits to Harriet Tubman $20 bill, Internet happy about ‘Indian Killer’ Andrew Jackson’s removal

On Friday, the White House Press Secretary announced that the US Treasury will look into expediting the process of adding political activist Harriet Tubman to the face of $20 bills

A photograph of escaped slave, abolitionist, and Union spy Harriet Tubman was acquired by the Smithsonian (Getty Images)

Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary on Monday announced that President Joe Biden’s Treasury will revive the process of adding Harriet Tubman’s portrait to the front of the $20 bill. Something that the Trump administration had allowed to lapse after taking over from the Obama administration. The process was first put in motion in 2016 by the Treasury secretary at the time, Jacob Lew, during the Obama administration. When Trump had taken over, he had opposed the idea and Treasury secretary at that time Steven Mnuchin stopped working on this part of the redesign as increasing the security features on the currency was of more importance. 

A recently-found photograph of the escaped slave, abolitionist, and Union spy Harriet Tubman that was acquired by the Smithsonian is displayed before a hearing of the House Administration Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill June 17, 2015, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)

Biden has nominated Janet L. Yellen to lead the US Treasury, and Yellen is expected to take the lead on this, and even accelerate the timeline too. Psaki said, “The Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put Harriet Tubman on the front of the new $20 notes. It’s important that our money reflect the history and diversity of our country.” The announcement has made many happy and the same has been expressed on Twitter and other social media sites.

According to a report in New York Times, the redesigned currency with Tubman was originally expected to release to honor the centennial of the 19th Amendment, in 2020. After Trump took over, however, Mnuchin announced there will be a delay on the redesign of $20 bills by six years due to a technical reason. The report also released conceptual work that had been done as part of the redesigning process with a bill bearing Tubman’s likeness on the front and a statue of Jackson on the back that was already underway.

U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) leads a rally with fellow House Democrats, including Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) and others, to demand that American abolitionist heroine Harriet Tubman’s image be put on the $20 bill outside the U.S. Treasury Department June 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a congressional committee in June that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing would not be able to meet the 2020 deadline for getting Tubman’s image on the bill. (Getty Images)

One user wrote, “Way past time to take Andrew Jackson off the $20.00 (Indian Killer and Trail of Tears that caused the death of over 4,000 Cherokee) and put Harriet Tubman in his place. She was a true heroine and saved many from the evils of slavery.” Another user wrote, “I’m down with removing racist monster Andrew Jackson from the 20. I’m more down with adding Harriet Tubman. Can we get a fat stack of them (10k?) alongside a much needed national shutdown and ending of the filibuster?” Another fan wrote, “Yay!!!! That trump put the kibosh on Harriet Tubman’s stamp was another fuck you to Black people. She has long deserved the honor.” One sarcastic user wrote, “I’m waiting for people on Twitter to be angry about Harriet Tubman being put on the $20 bill, replacing Abraham Lincoln, the 26th President, who so bravely slayed vampires and defeated Andrew Jackson in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral duel.”

The reason why many referred to Andrew Jackson as ‘Indian Killer’ was because of the Indian Removal Act, which led to thousands of Native American deaths as tens of thousands were forced to relocate. This was signed in 1830 and this was believed to have led to the 1838 and 1839 grueling march that the Cherokees had undertaken after being forced to relocate. This reportedly killed 4,000 people and that was the reason he ended up being called “Indian killer” by the Cherokees and the Creek called him “Sharp Knife.”

Tubman died in 1913 in the presence of her family and friends after suffering from pneumonia. The American abolitionist and political activist had also received semi-military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, New York. 

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