Twitter users react to Harriet Tubman’s new place on the $20 bill
The African-American abolitionist will replace Andrew Jackson’s visage on the front of the paper currency. Alexander Hamilton remains on the $20 bill, joined by suffragettes.
The U.S. Department of Treasury sparked a passionate conversation on Wednesday when it announced it was placing Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist and Union spy during the Civil War, on the front of the $20 bill.
In a Medium post, Treasure Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced that Jackson would be relegated to the back of the bill, alongside The White House. Lew said the decision to feature Tubman was a result of responses the department received:
The decision to put Harriet Tubman on the new $20 was driven by thousands of responses we received from Americans young and old. I have been particularly struck by the many comments and reactions from children for whom Harriet Tubman is not just a historical figure, but a role model for leadership and participation in our democracy. You shared your thoughts about her life and her works and how they changed our nation and represented our most cherished values.
Though Twitter saw a deluge of racist tweets in response to the news, many others supported the decision:
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