Cummings Statement on Treasury Department Announcement That Harriet Tubman Will Be New Face of $20 Bill

Washington, D.C. (April 20, 2016) — Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) issued the following statement on the Treasury Department’s announcement that Harriet Tubman will be the new face of the $20 bill, and five women and civil rights heroes will be incorporated in future designs of the $10 bill: 

“It is long past time we do more to honor the contributions of women in American history, especially women of color. I applaud Secretary Lew’s announcement that the redesigned $20 bill will feature Harriet Tubman. I encourage the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve to work with urgency to implement this change.

“Placing Harriet Tubman on our U.S. currency is a fitting tribute to a woman who fought to make the values enshrined in our Constitution a reality for all Americans.

“Harriet Tubman was called the Moses of her people, and it was a name hard-earned.

“Born in Maryland, she escaped slavery and courageously fought for the freedom of other slaves before the Civil War. She continued to battle injustice and inequality until her death. 

“I am pleased that in addition to making Harriet Tubman the face of the new $20 bill, five different women and civil rights heroes will now be incorporated in future designs of the $10 bill.”

Last year, Cummings and Congressman John Katko (R-NY), introduced the bipartisan Harriet Tubman Tribute Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to place Harriet Tubman’s likeness on a Federal Reserve Note by 2017.