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New US $20 bill with anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman delayed | New US $20 bill with anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman delayed |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A redesign of the $20 bill featuring anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman, due to be unveiled next year, has been postponed until 2028, the US treasury secretary says. | A redesign of the $20 bill featuring anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman, due to be unveiled next year, has been postponed until 2028, the US treasury secretary says. |
Steven Mnuchin said the focus was on improving the banknote's security features and not changing the imagery. | Steven Mnuchin said the focus was on improving the banknote's security features and not changing the imagery. |
Tubman's photo was due to replace that of former President Andrew Jackson, a slave owner, on the front of the note. | Tubman's photo was due to replace that of former President Andrew Jackson, a slave owner, on the front of the note. |
President Donald Trump has called the redesign "pure political correctness". | President Donald Trump has called the redesign "pure political correctness". |
Harriett Tubman was born into slavery in the 1820s. After suffering a serious head injury, she escaped and helped to free more than 70 slaves through the "Underground Railroad", a network of anti-slavery activists and safe houses. | Harriett Tubman was born into slavery in the 1820s. After suffering a serious head injury, she escaped and helped to free more than 70 slaves through the "Underground Railroad", a network of anti-slavery activists and safe houses. |
Speaking at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr Mnuchin said "the primary reason" for the changes was for "counterfeiting issues", and that the department would focus on the image later. | Speaking at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr Mnuchin said "the primary reason" for the changes was for "counterfeiting issues", and that the department would focus on the image later. |
"Based upon this, the $20 bill will now not come out until 2028. The $10 bill and the $50 bill will come out with new features beforehand," he added, declining to say whether he supported the decision to add Tubman's picture. | "Based upon this, the $20 bill will now not come out until 2028. The $10 bill and the $50 bill will come out with new features beforehand," he added, declining to say whether he supported the decision to add Tubman's picture. |
The proposed redesign, announced in 2016 under the Obama administration by then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew after months of public debate, would see Jackson's picture going to the back of the bill. | The proposed redesign, announced in 2016 under the Obama administration by then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew after months of public debate, would see Jackson's picture going to the back of the bill. |
At the time, Mr Lew said Tubman was "not just a historical figure but a role model for leadership and participation in our democracy". | At the time, Mr Lew said Tubman was "not just a historical figure but a role model for leadership and participation in our democracy". |
Mr Trump has previously expressed admiration for Andrew Jackson and on the campaign trail in 2016 he suggested that Tubman - whom he described as "fantastic" - would be better-suited for the $2 bill, a note that is not widely circulated, or another note. | Mr Trump has previously expressed admiration for Andrew Jackson and on the campaign trail in 2016 he suggested that Tubman - whom he described as "fantastic" - would be better-suited for the $2 bill, a note that is not widely circulated, or another note. |
The women last depicted on US notes were former first lady Martha Washington, on the $1 silver certificate from 1891 to 1896, and Native American Pocahontas, in a group image on the $20 bill from 1865 to 1869. |
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