African-American Currency History

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Let’s face it: embracing change sometimes isn’t fun. Some people prefer to stay in their comfort zone. After all, they call it a “comfort” zone for a reason—even the term itself stirs up deep feelings of calm, relaxation and security. But eventually, something comes along to shake us out of it. Change happens to us all—it’s simply a part of life. And while some change is undeniably good, we’re often faced with disruptions that certainly don’t feel welcomed. Over the course of history, the evolution of the United States currency has always been changing. In 1690, the first paper form of currency was issued in order to pay for military actions against Canada during King William’s War (The History Of American Currency). Throughout the years, …show more content…
Tubman was a runaway slave from Maryland who became known as the “Moses of her people” (Lewis). She would be the first African-American woman to be placed on a piece of American currency even considering that she was born a slave. At her own personal risk, she led hundreds of slaves to freedom along the underground railroad—a network of secret routes and safe houses used by African-American slaves to escape into free states—resulting in no losses of any individual (Lewis). Making use of the network known as the Underground Railroad, Tubman traveled nearly 90 miles to Philadelphia (Lewis). Later on, she made it her mission to rescue her family and friends rather than remaining safely in the North. After freeing few of her family, the dynamics of slavery changed in 1850 due to the Fugitive Slave Law. This law stated that escaped slaves could be captured in the North and returned to slavery, leading to the abduction of former slaves and free blacks living in Free States (The Library of Congress). Law enforcement officials in the North were compelled to aid in the capture of slaves, regardless of their personal principles (The Library of Congress). In response to the law, Tubman re-routed the Underground Railroad to Canada, which prohibited slavery categorically (The Library of Congress). Her bravery and courage saved hundreds of lives and because of her actions, many African-American slaves obtained their …show more content…
The Women’s Rights Movement first began in 1848— when for the first time small groups of women joined together in the National Woman's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York (Harriet-Tubman.org). After the Civil War, more women’s rights groups emerged. Many supporters of Harriet Tubman who allowed her to use her properties to harbor fugitives during her Underground Railroad years, were involved in the women’s rights movement (Harriet-Tubman.org). The most controversial issue considered in the convention was women’s suffrage, which in the U.S, was finally achieved in 1920 with the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution (Harriet-Tubman.org). Tubman believed in the equality of all people, black or white, male or female, which made her sympathetic to the women’s rights
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