Woman on $10 bill praised, but Hamilton has his defenders
Alexander Hamilton will retain his presence on the note in some form, Treasury officials said.
Move over, Alexander Hamilton.
In 2020 a woman will be featured on the $10 bill.
The news that a woman's portrait will grace U.S. currency for the first time in more than a century has already sparked hundreds of conversations about who the lucky lady will be.
"I look forward to a lively debate about which of the many exceptional American women should be on the new 10,” Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said in a statement. "The new bills may be worth 10 dollars, but the recognition of women’s leadership in our history is worth much, much more."
An organization called Women on 20s urged Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew to consider Harriet Tubman, the winner of a recent online vote to replace Andrew Jackson's image on the $20 bill with that of a woman. After two rounds of voting, abolitionist Tubman emerged victorious.
“It has been our goal from the beginning to see the face of a woman on our paper currency, so naturally, we were excited to learn that our mission will be achieved," the group's executive director, Susan Ades Stone, said in a statement. “Even though our campaign targeted the $20 bill, we are pleased Secretary Lew will make this change on the first bank note to receive a makeover. It's a great first step.”
In the late 1800s, First Lady Martha Washington’s image was featured on the $1 silver certificate. From 1865 to 1869, Pocahontas appeared on the $20 bill.
There are only two requirements for the woman who appears on the bill: that she reflect the theme of democracy and that she no longer be living.
Take a look at some suggestions and reactions to the news.
Lew said he would solicit suggestions from the public through a Treasury Department website TheNew10 and through social media with the hashtag #TheNew10. It didn't taken long for nominations to pop up on Twitter.
But Hamilton won't completely disappear from the bill. The Treasury will either design two separate bills or have Hamilton and the woman share one bill. The nation's first Treasury secretary has his fair share of supporters.
The news that the new woman will have to share the bill has drawn criticism.
Do you have other suggestions for the new face of the $10? Take our poll below or share your thoughts below in the comments.
MORE:
Woman's face will be added to $10 bill in 2020, Treasury says
Harriet Tubman wins vote for possible new face on $20 bill
Should a woman replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill?
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