You’ve seen the headlines for a decade. A woman—specifically, the "Moses of her people"—was supposed to replace a slave-holding president on the most widely used note in America. It felt like a done deal back in 2016. Then, it just... stopped.
Honestly, the journey of Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is less about simple graphic design and more about a high-stakes game of political tug-of-war, technical hurdles, and shifting deadlines. People are frustrated. They want to know why they can get a Maya Angelou quarter at a gas station today but can’t find a Tubman twenty in their ATM.
It’s complicated.
The Long Road to 2030 (Yes, 2030)
If you were hoping to see a new face in your wallet this year, I have some bad news. The current timeline for Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill points toward 2030 for actual circulation.
Why so long? The government doesn't just "print" a new picture. According to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), banknotes are basically tiny, high-tech computers made of cotton and linen. They have to beat counterfeiters who use ever-improving tech. Because the $20 is the most counterfeited note domestically, the Treasury is obsessive about security features.
Wait, 2030?
Yep. The "Harriet Tubman Tribute Act of 2025," introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, pushed for a hard deadline because the project has been kicked down the road so many times. The bill basically says: "Get it done by the end of 2030, or give us a very good reason why you didn't."
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A Timeline of Delays
- 2016: Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announces Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the front.
- 2017-2019: The project hits a wall. Secretary Steven Mnuchin cites "counterfeiting issues" and pushes the release back to 2028.
- 2021: The Biden administration "resumes" the effort, but the technical schedule remains stuck.
- 2025-2026: New legislation aims to lock in the 2030 date as a legal requirement.
Why Andrew Jackson is Still There
It’s the elephant in the room. Andrew Jackson—the seventh president, a man who owned enslaved people and signed the Indian Removal Act—remains the face of the twenty.
Initially, the plan was to move Jackson to the back of the bill. He’d still be there, just relegated to the "B-side" while Harriet Tubman took the "A-side." But this hasn't sat well with everyone. Some critics, like Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece Ernestine "Tina" Martin Wyatt, have pointed out the irony. Putting an emancipator and a slaveholder on the same piece of paper? It's a bit of a historical clash.
Then you have the political side. During his first term, Donald Trump called the redesign "pure political correctness." He suggested putting Tubman on the $2 bill instead—a note almost nobody actually uses. Now that we are in 2026, the political landscape continues to dictate how fast (or slow) the Bureau moves.
The "Counterfeit" Argument vs. Reality
The official line is always "security." It’s true that designing a new note takes years. You have to test the ink. You have to test the 3D security ribbons. You have to make sure every vending machine and self-checkout kiosk from Maine to Hawaii can read the thing.
But compare that to the UK. When King Charles III took the throne, the Bank of England had new notes in circulation within two years.
So, is it tech or is it talk?
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Basically, it's a mix. The US updates its "family" of notes in a specific order to stay ahead of fakes. The $10 is actually next in line for 2026, followed by the $5 in 2028. The $20 was always slated for the 2030 slot in the security sequence. The drama started when people realized "designing" the bill doesn't mean "releasing" the bill.
What the New Bill Will Actually Look Like
We’ve actually seen glimpses. In 2019, a "preliminary design" leaked via the New York Times. It showed a younger Tubman in a dark coat with a wide collar and a white scarf. It looked dignified. It looked real.
Key Design Details:
- The Portrait: Based on a 1911 photograph of Tubman in her later years, though some concepts use an earlier image.
- The Reverse: Current plans still include the White House, potentially alongside a smaller image of Jackson or symbols of the suffrage movement.
- Tactile Features: A major part of the new $20 is making it accessible for the blind. It will have raised bumps or textures so people can "feel" the denomination.
Is This Even Progress?
Not everyone thinks Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is a win.
There is a nuanced argument from historians and activists who feel that putting a woman who was once "bought and sold" onto a piece of currency is actually a bit insulting. It’s like the ultimate irony. Tubman fought to destroy a system that treated humans as capital. Now, her face will be the capital.
Writer Brittney Cooper famously argued in Time that this isn't a sign of progress, but a "failure of imagination." She suggested that instead of a bill, the government should focus on things like the wealth gap—real economic change rather than symbolic paper.
Still, for millions of Americans, seeing a Black woman—a veteran and a freedom fighter—in a space previously reserved for white, male presidents is a powerful shift in the national narrative.
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What You Can Actually Do Now
Waiting for 2030 feels like a lifetime. If you're tired of the wait, there are a few things happening in the real world:
1. Use the "Tubman Stamps" A few years ago, an artist created a 3D-printed stamp that fits perfectly over Andrew Jackson’s face. People have been "Tubman-izing" their cash for years as a form of protest. It's technically legal as long as the bill is still recognizable and the security features aren't defaced.
2. Follow the "Harriet Tubman Tribute Act" Keep an eye on the 119th Congress. The status of the 2025 Act will determine if the Treasury is actually held accountable to that 2030 deadline. If it dies in committee, expect more delays.
3. Check the $10 Bill in 2026 The new $10 bill is scheduled to drop soon. While Alexander Hamilton stays on the front (thanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda), the back will feature suffrage leaders like Sojourner Truth and Lucretia Mott. This is the "trial run" for the big changes coming to the twenty.
The reality of Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill is that it’s coming, but the "when" is a moving target. It’s a story of a country trying to decide which heroes it wants to celebrate when we pay for our groceries.
To stay updated on the official release, you can track the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s "U.S. Currency Education Program" website. They usually post the final "unveiling" of designs about 18 months before the bills actually hit the banks. Based on the current 2030 target, look for a big reveal ceremony sometime in late 2028.