The awful mass murder in Charleston, SC, helped spur a nationwiౠde debate over the Confederate flag (with a slight detour into a relitigation of the causes of the Civil War).
One week ago, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley delivered a powerful statement urging the removal of the flag from the grounds of the state capitol building.
Haley acknowlꦍedged that while the flag contained many positive connotations for the citizens of her state — regional pride, cultural heritage, familial connection — it was also inherently a divisive symbol. Many, after all, see it (fairly) as a banner of racism, slavery and terror.
In short, it wasn’t 𒈔something all residents of the Palmetto State could look to with reverence and unity.
Frankly, that’s a wise view to take in considering objects that the government chooses to honor with an official imprimatur: Err on the sid𝐆e of those representing the polity’s common civic values.
In that light, it’s the perfect moment to revisit a discussion momentarily interrupted i💛n the aftermath of the Charleston murders: What to do about America’s currency?
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew shocked the nation with his announcement earlier this month that the $10 bill would be changed, with Lew’s predecessor Alexander Hamilton surrendering his spot in favor of a still-un♏named woman. (Or having said womಞan join him on the currency.)
Prior to the Hamilton announcement, there was a movement under way to replace Andrew Jackson, whose face adorns the $20 bi𝐆ll. Lew said Hamilton had to go first because, well, it was the $10 bill’s “time.”
In other wor🐷ds, a bureaucrat opted to stick to a bureaucratic timetable, rather than looking at the larger picture🌳.
And if ever ඣa moment called for broader refl🔯ection, this is it.
Every♈ time someone uses American (printed) money, they look at history; they engage with a figure the government has sanctioned and, li𝔍kely, celebrated.
Save perhaps for George Washington himself, Alexander Hamilton is most responsible for much of the glue that binds this nation together — its financial sy🍸stem.
It🐷 was his firm belief that a young nation that fought a war for independence together should pay off its debts together. In that view, he was initially opposed by Thomas Jefferson, who thought Virg♋inia shouldn’t be burdened by the financial problems of less-wealthy states.
Hamilton ended up winning the day and the Compromise of 1790 the two men forged (alas, the moving of the capital from New York to outside of Virginia was collateral damage) was one🧸 of the signature moments in the early days of the young United States.
More important to today (and the post-Confederate flag discussion), Hamilton was an abolitionist, whose best friend attempted to raise a regiment of slaves to fight in the Revolutionary War, ಞpromising them freedom for their service (a moment recognized in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” music🌳al heading to Broadway next month).
Meanwhile, the Treasury’s currency timetable means Jackson’s $20 bill — adorned with the face of one of the biggest slaveholders to ever enter the White House (who💎, unlike Washington, opted not to free his slaves upon his death) — will remain untouched for at least another five years.
Jac♛kson went from owning nine slaves when he purchased his Hermitage plantation to 150 at his death 40 years later.
While not alone among early presidents in owning slaves, Jackson adds the forced relocation of Indians from tribal lands to his le🌃dger. The so-called “Trail of Tears” has often been referred to as genocide.
That th🃏is de facto founder of the modern Democratic Party was nicknamed th🌳e “people’s president” is one of the great ironies of history.
Look, slavery is a part of our nation’s history. It’s not something that we ca🔯n ev﷽er expunge from our memory — nor should we try.
But we can — and should — take advantage of the moments when weꦆ’re already engaged in the discussion to consider which figures are worthy of remaining in ൲the forefront of our national consciousness, and which ones can take, well, a back seat in the pantheon.
As the Confederate battle flag is about to be lowered, let’s keep Hamilton solo on the $10 bill, remove Jackson from the $20 and r𒐪eplace him with someone far worthier.