Putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill Is Not a Sign of Progress. It's a Sign of Disrespect

Time ^ | Jan. 27, 2021 | Brittney Cooper

[PROCON]

The Biden Administration announced its plan to return to an Obama-era initiative to put Harriet Tubman’s face on the U.S. $20 bill. Her image would replace Andrew Jackson, the notoriously racist President, known both for owning hundreds of slaves and for his brutal and genocidal policy of Indian removal. Based on current designs, a statue of Jackson would remain on the back of the bill, while Harriet Tubman would grace the front. Many Americans, across the racial spectrum, are excited about this tribute to Tubman.

~~~SNIP~~~

Putting Tubman on legal tender, when slaves in the U.S. were treated as fungible commodities is a supreme form of disrespect. The imagery of her face changing hands as people exchange cash for goods and services evokes for me discomfiting scenes of enslaved persons being handed over as payment for white debt or for anything white slaveholders wanted. America certainly owes a debt to Black people, but this is not the way to repay it.

And in closing..

But American money, and our national romance with it, is the root of so many of our national evils. Too often America attempts to atone for racism through style and symbol rather than substance. We don’t need America to put Black women on its money. We need America to put its money on Black women.

[PROCON]

The lovely, outspoken author, Ms. Brittney Cooper

[tbw2]

Slavery? We Were a Footnote
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/11/slavery-we-were-a-footnote.php

[dfwgator]

They won’t be happy until every white person is dead. And then they will turn on each other.

[nickcarraway]

t’s a bone Biden is throwing, so he doesn’t have to do anything else.

[FoxInSocks]

Ah, yes, Tubman, who helped the extremist John Brown plan the violent raid at Harpers Ferry.

[RC one]

I have a much better idea. We should definitely get rid of Andrew Jackson because he was America's first democrat but he should be replaced with chief Geronimo, not Tubman. That should be our counter proposal. their heads would explode. This is the face that should replace Andrew Jackson. I would 100% support that.

[Little Ray]

Turns out that, for all her heroism on the Underground Railroad, Tubman was an associate of John Brown and a wannabe terrorist. She missed being killed or hanged for the attack on Harper’s Ferry because she was sick...

[Campion]

Here's a sign of progress:

[cgbg]

In the post-cash future, people who use cash will be enemies of the state, just like Harriet was...

[eartick]

Run down whitey and destroy our history. I will never concede that Biteme is my _resident

[SkyDancer]

And only saved her relatives not runaway slaves.

[Army Air Corps]

I would like to see Sequoya on the $20 bill.

[Little Ray]

How 'bout Sequoya instead?

[Army Air Corps]

Two thumbs up.

[Little Ray]

You beat me, but I had an image...

[KosmicKitty]

Stacey Abrams sister?

Imagine the damage the two of them could do to an All-You-Can-Eat buffet?

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Turns out that, for all her heroism on the Underground Railroad, Tubman was an associate of John Brown and a wannabe terrorist.

Did American slaves have the right to rise up and rebel against their masters?

[Army Air Corps]

GMTA!

[Dalberg-Acton]

Andy did a some great things, too.

[atomic_dog]