Most Americans probably would not appreciate having a slaver and ethnic cleanser on our money. Yet that's exactly the case today, as Samantha Bee points out in a new video looking at the Treasury Department's decision to replace former President Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill.
In Bee's words, Jackson was "a complete and utter genocidal shitstain." She points out that Jackson took part in the following:
- He owned a lot of slaves.
- He fought in as many as 100 duels, and killed at least one person.
- He ordered ethnic cleansing, forcefully removing Native Americans from their land and causing thousands of deaths.
- His economic policies as president led to the Panic of 1837, one of the worst economic crises in American history.
Given this legacy, it's not surprising that Jackson will be removed from the front of the $20 bill — although perhaps a little surprising that he's still being put on the back.
For more on Jackson, read Dylan Matthews's explainer.
Women on banknotes around the world
Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?
Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple of big issues with relying on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on:
First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.
Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. And we can’t do that if we have a paywall.
So even though advertising is still our biggest source of revenue, we also seek grants and reader support. (And no matter how our work is funded, we have strict guidelines on editorial independence.)
If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today? Any amount helps.
Yes, I'll give $5/month
Yes, I'll give $5/month
We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and
Google Pay. You can also contribute via