Harriet Tubman’s community expresses excitement over currency announcement

William Jarmon was born and raised in Cambridge; the same birthplace as Harriet Tubman. Jarmon is a volunteer at her museum and education center.

He never thought he’d live to see the day the anti-slavery abolitionist would appear on the twenty dollar bill. Her portrait will be replacing Andrew Jackson’s. 

Jarmon says, “That twenty dollar bill in itself will be all over throughout the world. It’ll be on every continent some place, somewhere. People are going to ask, ‘Well who is this person?'”

Tubman, who was born a slave, will become the first African-American on U.S. paper money and the first woman in 100 years.

William continues, “It puts Delmarva on the map, Dorchester County, and Cambridge, Maryland.”

Dr. Clara L. Small, a history professor at Salisbury University who’s written about Tubman in two of her books, agrees with Jarmon. It’s going to get people around the world talking about Tubman.

Dr. Small goes on, “What did she accomplish? What was her driving force that made her return to this area as a fugitive slave? She could have been recaptured, re-enslaved, sent further south, or even punished. There was a bounty on her head. This was a woman with courage.”   

For those who oppose the change because Tubman is a woman or black. Dr. Small asks them to look at the bigger picture. She says the bill will be graced with a person who believed in courage, bravery, and doing whatever necessary to help others.

Dr. Small continues, “Harriet wanted freedom and life to be better for everyone.”

The back of the twenty dollar bill which currently shows the White House; will be redesigned to include Andrew Jackson and the White House.

Other female American leaders are set to join the five and ten dollar bills on the back.