Black History

Elijah Cummings and John Katko Shaheen Issue Bipartisan Statement Urging Trump Administration to Move Forward with Tubman on the $20

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — Representatives Cummings and Katko have introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in 2015, 2017, and most recently in February. The bill, as currently written, directs the Secretary of the Treasury to place the likeness of Harriet Tubman on $20 Federal Reserve notes printed after December 31, 2020.

Published

6 years ago

May 10, 2019

niele

Washington, DC – Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Representative John Katko (R-NY), and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the authors of the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act of 2019, issued the following statement:

“When it was announced that Harriet Tubman’s likeness would appear on the redesign of the twenty, it was an inspirational moment for women and girls, and the African American community,” said Cummings, Katko, and Shaheen. “We are very concerned that the administration is stalling this historic effort. We urge the administration to follow through and expedite the redesign of the twenty. In lieu of progress by the Treasury Department, we hope Congress will pass the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act of 2019 to make it clear in statute that the redesign of the twenty must honor Harriet Tubman and in a timely fashion. Harriet Tubman’s fight for equality and freedom embodies the American spirit and she deserves to be featured beside our founding fathers. Our currency should finally reflect the important role women, and women of color, have played in our nation’s history.”

Representatives Cummings and Katko have introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in 2015, 2017, and most recently in February. The bill, as currently written, directs the Secretary of the Treasury to place the likeness of Harriet Tubman on $20 Federal Reserve notes printed after December 31, 2020.

Senator Shaheen recently re-introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act in the Senate as part of her longstanding leadership in Congress to honor women on our nation’s currency. In 2015, she called on the Obama administration to feature a woman on our currency through executive action.

This article originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel.

niele

Posts by niele

Up Next

SC Historical Society Offers Free Exhibit Celebrating 350th Anniversary of State

Don't Miss

Rep. Bass Responds To Trump’s Embargo Threat Against Cuba

niele

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 5 – 11, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 5 – 11, 2025

Published

7 days ago

March 7, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Arts and Culture

Beverly Lorraine Greene: A Pioneering Architect and Symbol of Possibility and Progress

Greene graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1936 with a degree in Architecture — a remarkable accomplishment for an African American woman at the time. She was never discouraged by the racial and gender discrimination that saturated her field.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 3, 2025

Oakland Post

Beverly Lorraine Greene. Public domain photo.

By Tamara Shiloh

In the mid-20th century, Beverly Lorraine Greene was recognized as the first African American woman licensed to practice architecture in the United States.

Greene was born on Oct. 4, 1915, in Chicago during an era when opportunities for African Americans, particularly women, were severely limited.

Her parents, James and Vera Greene, were deeply invested in her education, instilling in her a belief in the power of intellect and perseverance. She grew up during the Great Migration that transformed Chicago starting in 1900.

Greene continued her education, earning a master’s degree in City Planning and Housing in 1937, also from the University of Illinois. Her ambition was not merely to design structures but to shape spaces that fostered equity and community. In 1942, she became the first African American woman licensed as an architect in the United States, obtaining her credentials in Illinois. This groundbreaking achievement, however, did not translate immediately into job opportunities.

Early in her career, she faced significant discrimination from firms unwilling to hire a Black woman. However, her determination never wavered. In 1945, Beverly moved to New York City, a place she believed could offer broader professional opportunities.

She joined the architectural department of the New York City Housing Authority, focusing on affordable housing projects. Her work during this time reflected her commitment to using architecture as a tool for social justice, ensuring that marginalized communities had access to well-designed, dignified living spaces.

Greene’s talents soon drew the attention of prominent firms. She was hired by Isadore Rosenfield, a respected architect known for designing hospitals. She contributed to the design of healthcare facilities, including the modernization of Harlem Hospital. Her portfolio expanded in collaboration with architectural personalities such as Marcel Breuer and Edward Durell Stone.

Notably, she worked on the prestigious UNESCO headquarters in Paris — a landmark project that brought her skills to an international stage. Her involvement underscored her ability to navigate the intricacies of large-scale, global projects, proving that her talents transcended the limitations society sought to impose.

Greene’s career was tragically cut short when she passed away unexpectedly in 1957 at the age of 41. Though her life was brief, her impact was profound. She shattered entrenched barriers, paving the way for future generations of Black architects and women in the field.