Women on the 20's: yes or no?

On the topic of the Women on the 20’s campaign, which petitioned the government this week, I am in full support of this… But it’s complicated, I’ve had people tell me “women have no place on our bills, especially women of color” now if you know me, you know this made me mad. But it was something I really had to think about, beyond the race and gender. I had to think about what those faces on our currency represent for our country. Now the number one argument in this is that Women are rarely acknowledged as important contributors to the creation and development of the United States. Truth. So the women on the 20’s took to the web for an online poll of what women should be honored on the 20 dollar bill. Out of a long list of influential women The public chose Harriet Tubman. Now In my opinion this makes some sense, especially considering we put slave owners on our currency… *sips tea*. But here’s my issue, historically speaking the faces who find home on the center of the bills in our wallets are known, an placed there, for how politically influential they were in the establishment and growth of American bureaucracy. I do believe Tubman should be recognized for her historical presence, however I don’t think the 20 dollar bill is the place to do that, putting her face on America’s currency would simply undermine her legacy. Tubman, who escape slavery and helped over 300 others do the same, has become historic for essentially defying the system, and stealing “property.” Her legacy is rooted in resisting the foundation of American capitalism. Tubman went against America’s economic system, so making her a symbol of it would be insulting. I’m am saying this in admiration of what Tubman did for my people.
On one hand, replacing the face of Andrew Jackson, a man whose wealth was made on the backs of enslaved black people, with the likes of Tubman sounds like the an idyllic reversal of fortune. But we have to consider what it really represents and respect her legacy. That being said, in my opinion a great candidate to be places on the 20 dollar bill would be Shirley Chisholm.

Joni Perkins (March 2015)