All I See Are Dead Presidents
A
s you probably have noticed, American dollar bills have undergone quite a few changes over the last decade or so. Along with the addition of various anti-counterfeit features has come a shift away from the traditional green and black of your grandfather’s bills. For example, the modern ten and fifty dollar notes more closely resemble multicolored Monopoly money than anything most of us picture when we think of a typical dollar bill. One thing that has endured, however, is the people who grace our tender – the lineup of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant and Franklin has remained the same for decades. When one compares U.S. currency to that of another country, the first thing that sticks out is America’s uniform use of political and military leaders. These historical figures simply do not reflect the vast majority of the American populace and should be replaced by a more diverse group of historical figures. This is not to say that we should put Americans of different gender and ethnicity simply to have variety; rather, there are plenty of Americans of different gender, ethnicity, and historical significance who deserve to be commemorated on our bills. Moreover, certain new faces would be more deserving of the honor than some of the historical figures that are currently appear on our money. A new lineup of dollars should include a diverse group of individuals who represent a range of achievements in American history. Likely candidates could include civil rights activists and social reformers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony or Cesar Chavez. Often you will find literary figures on other countries’ tender; the United States 24
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Winter 2014-2015
A new lineup of dollars should include a diverse group of individuals. could honor greats such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, or Ralph Waldo Emerson, to name a few. Scientific and conservationist pioneers such as John Muir, Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington Carver, and Thomas Edison (or, if you prefer alternating currents, Nikola Tesla) also deserve a nod. The main point is that there are plenty of Americans whose achievements merit the honor of appearing on our money even though they were not politicians. Who, then, should be removed from the current cast on our currency? One candidate for being retired should be Alexander Hamilton. Although Hamilton was a celebrated officer in the American Revolution and an influential writer he is certainly dwarfed in terms of overall significance and fame by George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. That is to say, even though Hamilton was an important leader and his contribution to this country should not be forgotten, we already have two founding fathers memorialized and someone from a different part of American history should take his place. While Hamilton could be removed for the sake of variety, the next two candidates should be retired when one further scrutinizes their actions. The first of these two figures would be Ulysses S Grant, who has appeared on the 50-dollar bill since 1913. Though
a very successful general during the Civil War, Grant’s presidency is generally considered by historians to be below average. For starters, Grant’s administration was plagued by a series of costly and embarrassing scandals. Furthermore, The Butcher’s inflexible and shortsighted fiscal policy is often blamed for the Great Panic of 1873 and the subsequent economic downturn. As a result of these two events Grant lacked the political will to see Reconstruction to its completion–a serious issue when one considers that the racism that returned to the South by the turn of the 20th century is often blamed on this failure. The last candidate who should be removed from our currency and replaced with a more worthy candidate is Andrew Jackson. As with Grant, in Jackson we see a celebrated general whose presidency seems rather unworthy of being commemorated on our bills, much less one of the most used notes in circulation today. Jackson’s legacy is marred by one of the most heinous and regrettable acts in our country’s history: the Indian Removal Act and the subsequent Trail of Tears. To say the least, America’s treatment of the Native Americans has been deplorable, and out of respect Jackson should no longer adorn the 20-dollar bill. The figures that appears on a country’s currency are demonstrative of a country’s values and the beliefs it holds to be essential to its identity. As it stands, the U.S. shows it only values politicians, thus failing to recognize a majority of its triumphs. By changing the faces on a couple of our bills, America could celebrate a wider range of its achievements. u Peter Giblin is a third year majoring in International Studies.
Photo: Eli Christman - Flickr
by Peter Giblin