The U.S. $20 bill currently features Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, but change is on the horizon. The U.S. Treasury has confirmed that abolitionist and Underground Railroad leader Harriet Tubman will replace Jackson on the bill’s front by 2030, marking a historic first for both women and Black Americans on U.S. paper currency.
Andrew Jackson on the $20 Bill
Jackson’s portrait has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928, with the White House printed on the reverse. Known as a populist president who expanded executive power, Jackson remains a controversial figure due to his role in Native American removal policies and ownership of enslaved people. Despite his complex legacy, his image has been an enduring part of American currency for nearly a century.
The Push for Change
The movement to redesign the $20 began with the grassroots campaign “Women on 20s” in 2015, which collected public votes to place a notable woman on the bill. Harriet Tubman, widely respected for her leadership in guiding enslaved people to freedom and later serving as a Union spy during the Civil War, emerged as the top choice.
In 2016, then-Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew officially announced that Tubman would replace Jackson on the front of the $20 bill. However, under the Trump administration, the timeline was delayed, with officials citing the need to prioritize security redesigns of other denominations first.
Treasury’s Current Plan: Tubman by 2030
Contrary to some misconceptions, no law currently mandates the Tubman redesign. Bills such as the Women on the Twenty Act (introduced in 2023 and reintroduced in 2025) have been proposed in Congress but have not been enacted.
Instead, the redesign is part of the Treasury Department’s Advanced Counterfeit Deterrence (ACD) program, which sets the 2030 target for releasing the Tubman $20. Officials have also confirmed that Jackson’s image may remain on the reverse side, preserving his presence while elevating Tubman to the bill’s front.
Why It Matters
Tubman’s inclusion represents more than a design change; it signals a broader cultural recognition of underrepresented figures in U.S. history. She would be the first woman in over a century and the first Black American ever to appear on the face of U.S. paper currency.
The redesign has drawn bipartisan attention and public debate. Supporters hail it as a long-overdue tribute to Tubman’s courage and legacy, while critics argue that altering long-standing designs diminishes tradition. Regardless, the Treasury’s timeline suggests Americans will begin seeing the new bills in their wallets around the end of this decade.
What to Expect in the Coming Years
- Current $20 Bill: Andrew Jackson remains until at least 2030.
- New $20 Bill: Harriet Tubman to appear on the front, Jackson possibly on the reverse.
- Timeline: Treasury estimates release in 2030 as part of its anti-counterfeiting upgrade cycle.
- Historic First: Tubman will be the first woman and first Black American featured prominently on a U.S. paper currency note.
