A Woman’s Face Is Getting Put On the $10 Bill
LatestThe U.S. Department of Treasury has confirmed that they will begin the process to put a woman’s face on paper currency, but instead of replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, the change will occur on the $10 banknote. The identity of the woman is yet to be determined with Secretary Jacob J. Lew revealing his choice for the portrait later this year. The brand-new $10 bill will be unveiled in 2020, which marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment which granted women the right to vote.
In April, Senator Jeanne Shaheen introduced the Women on the Twenty Act which asked for a panel of citizens to choose a woman to appear as the new face of the $20 bill. The legislation went hand-in-hand with the Women on 20s campaign, where the public chose from a roster of historic candidates that included Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt and Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller. According to Business Insider, Harriet Tubman was revealed as the winner in May.
As for how they will choose the woman, the Treasury’s FAQ page states the following:
Democracy is the theme for the next redesigned series and the Secretary will select a woman recognized by the public who was a champion for democracy in the United States. The person should be iconic and have made a significant contribution to—or impact on—protecting the freedoms on which our nation was founded.
Alexander Hamilton, the current face of the $10 bill, won’t be completely replaced, either. The founding father and aide to George Washington will still remain on the bill in some way, with the FAQ saying that one option could be to produce two different bills. I suggest that the bill should center on the chosen woman and he should just be in the background, floating above in a wine glass. The Treasury is also asking the public to discuss the redesign on social media using the hashtag #TheNew10.
Senator Shaheen responded to the news:
“Today, those voices all across the country calling for the contributions of women to be honored on our paper currency, were heard and now change is happening. This announcement follows a tremendous grassroots movement that spread through the power of social media and good old fashioned word-of-mouth. While it might not be the twenty dollar bill, make no mistake, this is a historic announcement and a big step forward.
Young girls across this country will soon be able to see an inspiring woman on the ten dollar bill who helped shape our country into what it is today and know that they too can grow up and do something great for their country. I want to congratulate the Women on the Twenty effort and encourage all who participated to continue making your voices heard as this process to redesign the ten dollar bill gets underway.”
Only a deceased person can be portrayed on currency so sorry, there will be no chance of using Beyoncé cash to pay for your future pizza.
Image via Shutterstock.
Contact the author at [email protected].