Faces of Change: On History, America, and the 20 Dollar Bill

America is set to have a new face on the $20 bill, but the fight to make it happen rests largely on the shoulders of one person.

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Many things can mark the beginning of a journey—a small step, a simple thought or a moment of revelation. Along the way, one may see or hear things that shake them or make them want to stand up. Someone may demand that they step aside, stop fighting for what they believe in or take charge without consent.

What some forget, however, is that ridicule and pressure often leads to a heightened sense of purpose—and one has a sense of purpose, there’s potential for monumental things to happen. The news that Underground Railroad leader and civil rights activist Harriet Tubman will replace President Andrew Jackson on the US $20 bill is groundbreaking on all social justice and American fronts, but the push to make it a reality began long before the idea was even a mainstream thought.

Dyani Brown, a volunteer at Women on 20’s, is responsible for that push—and the fight to keep the message of change alive. According to Upworthy.com, Brown has been fighting to put a woman on the $20 bill for years, and her reason for doing so dates far back into the pages of American history:

“For the $20 bill to be the most circulated bill in America—and we’re commemorating one of the most [evil] men in American history, that’s crazy,” Brown explains in the video above. “Before [President] Jackson, removing natives from their land was nothing new with colonization. However, he took the liberty of making it an act. So, after that, it was OK just to move natives from their anscestrial land.”

Brown goes on to comment on the impact Jackson’s decision had on America’s social justice system during his presidency. She also commented on the lack of diversity among all legal currency, and how it reflects on equality issues of today as she asks, “Why do [I] have to share bill with a man? Is that the only way you’re going to allow me to be a part of the American tradition–the American society?”

Although the new $20 bill won’t be unveiled until 2030, Brown’s argument is one of legitimacy. It should make one stop and think about where this country has been and where it’s going—and if it doesn’t, perhaps they should take a look in the mirror.

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Photo Credit: www.sacredheartspectrum.com