Treasury Confirms Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Redesign Is Not Moving Forward

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has confirmed that it is not moving ahead with plans to redesign the $20 bill to feature abolitionist Harriet Tubman, bringing fresh attention to a proposal that has faced years of delays.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department is not currently continuing with the effort to replace President Andrew Jackson’s image on the front of the $20 bill. His statement marks the latest development in a project that has remained uncertain despite being announced several years ago.

The proposal to honor Harriet Tubman on U.S. currency was first introduced in 2016 during the Obama administration. Tubman, a Maryland native known for helping lead hundreds of enslaved people to freedom, was selected to appear on the redesigned $20 bill. If the plan had moved forward, she would have become the first African American to appear on U.S. paper currency.

Although the redesign received national attention when it was announced, the project did not move ahead as originally planned. In 2019, then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the release would be delayed. The redesign was later expected to be introduced in 2028, but the Treasury Department has now confirmed that it is not pursuing the effort at this time.

Harriet Tubman was chosen following a nationwide campaign organized by the advocacy group Women on the $20s. The organization invited the public to vote on which historic American woman should be honored on the nation’s paper currency. Tubman received the highest number of votes among four finalists. The other finalists included former First Lady and social activist Eleanor Roosevelt, Cherokee Nation leader Wilma Mankiller, and civil rights icon Rosa Parks.

The proposal was widely recognized as an effort to celebrate Tubman’s lasting impact on American history. She is remembered for her courageous work through the Underground Railroad, where she helped hundreds of enslaved people escape to freedom while risking her own life.

Under current U.S. law, the portrait of a living person cannot appear on American currency. The proposed redesign focused on honoring a historical figure whose contributions continue to hold national significance.

If the redesign had been completed, Harriet Tubman would have become only the second woman ever featured on U.S. paper currency. Martha Washington previously appeared on the $1 Silver Certificate issued between 1891 and 1896, making her the only woman to have appeared on U.S. paper money.

For now, President Andrew Jackson will remain on the $20 bill, as the Treasury Department has confirmed that no active work is underway to replace the current design. While the future of the Tubman redesign remains uncertain, the department’s latest announcement indicates that the long-discussed proposal is not moving forward at this time.

Sources

• U.S. Department of the Treasury
• Women on the $20s