Description
Abolitionist icon honoured
In 2016 Harriet Tubman was voted to appear on a US banknote. The $20 bill featuring Tubman’s likeness was scheduled to be unveiled in 2020 – to align with the centenary of the 19th amendment to the US constitution, which gave women in the US equal voting rights to men. However, in 2019, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin intimated that the design would not be released until 2028. This decade gap creates tension that can be artistically exploited. The note is part of a family of five designs, each symbolizing a moment in the US Dollar’s brand:
Though Harriet Tubman initially had nothing to do with finance, by voting to honor her on US currency, she becomes a part of the Dollar’s brand – even in her absence. The controversial proposal breaks with tradition, easily becoming a step-too-far for such a conservative currency and brand. By decisively creating a banknote design in a Dollar-like currency, it resolves the tension, and offers an uncontroversial future vision.
