Step aside Alexander Hamilton, there’s a new girl in town. Well, almost.
The U.S. Treasury announced Wednesday that the redesigned $10 bill coming in 2020 will feature a woman on it, marking the first time a woman has been on a bill in over 100 years. The last time a bill featured a woman was Martha Washington on the $1 silver certificate in 1896, NBC reported.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told the press that the timing of 2020 is meant to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of women’s right to vote in the U.S. Lew also announced that the public will get to make suggestions and be a part of the process through The New 10 website and on Twitter with the hashtag, #TheNew10.
Following the announcement, Twitter users reacted accordingly with praise and disagreement:
This summer, tell us how #TheNew10 can best represent the values of our inclusive democracy and feature a woman. http://t.co/NtwytsvHxC
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) June 18, 2015
ABOUT DAMN TIME! A woman will be on a bill for the 1st time in a century. & U.S. Treasury Dept. wants YOU to vote on who it’ll be #TheNew10
— Amy La Porte (@AmyALaPorte) June 18, 2015
It wasn’t enough that the great Hamilton was murdered by a traitor. Now he must suffer the indignity of sharing space on #TheNew10.
— Andrew Klavan (@andrewklavan) June 18, 2015
Hey idiots the UK has had a lady on their money for more than 50 years and didn’t implode I think we’ll be OK. #TheNew10
— Alie Martell (@aliemartell) June 18, 2015
And of course, people couldn’t hold back from making their own suggestions:
#TheNewTen pic.twitter.com/J9VhSdqry3
— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) June 17, 2015
my idea for #TheNew10 pic.twitter.com/WXIK4deFC7
— vibes roy (@vibesroy) June 18, 2015
I have a great suggestion for the woman the @USTreasury should put on #TheNew10! pic.twitter.com/byZVh32emC
— Dan O’Donnell (@DanODradio) June 18, 2015
The announcement of the plans to put a woman on the new bill comes as sort of twist in light of the push from lawmakers earlier this year to put a woman on the $20 bill. There was even the unofficial “Women on 20s” campaign which saw 100,000 votes for Harriet Tubman to be the new face of the bill.
Some people felt women were slighted by the announcement to put a woman on a lower currency.
Women ask for $20, get $10 instead. #Womanon20 #TheNew10
— Heather Timmons (@HeathaT) June 18, 2015
There will be a woman on the $10. While it might not be the $20–make no mistake–this is historic& big step forward #TheNew10
— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) June 18, 2015
Regardless of interest groups’ feelings on the announcement, Lew stands by the decision offering only positive reasoning and spirit behind the roll out of the new bill.
“These occasions are an occasion to take stock of where we are going as a nation,” Lew said. “…Democracy will be the theme of these new notes.”
The lucky lady will be announced later this year.
