The House of Representatives has passed the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act to honor the abolitionist. With the historic measure passing on Tuesday, the House officially approved the bill authored by U.S. Rep. John Katko, Auburnpub reports.
In a statement to Blavity, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the bill, which was approved by the U.S. Senate in February.
“The proceeds from the commemorative coins will benefit the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, New York, and further allow them to advance their mission in preserving Harriet Tubman’s life story and legacy,” Schumer stated.
According to the statement, the measure will also “benefit Cayuga County’s Harriet Tubman home and The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.”
The legislation requires the U.S. Department of Treasury to produce up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins and 750,000 half-dollar coins. The coins will feature Tubman’s image along with her name. Additionally, the coins will include the words “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” “United States of America” and “E Pluribus Unum.”
According to the bill, the coins must be “emblematic of the legacy of Harriet Tubman as an abolitionist.”
“Harriet Tubman was a trailblazer and an American hero whose courage and commitment to freedom changed the course of history,” Schumer said. “I am proud to have fought to formally establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Cayuga County, and am proud to have continued that fight with this bill to ensure Tubman’s history in New York continues to live on.”
The senator added that the coins will carry on Tubman’s legacy by ensuring her “courageous story lives on and that the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn can continue to inspire countless generations to come.”
The coins are expected to be released in 2024 after the treasury consults with a few organizations, including Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., in Auburn, to select the design of the coin. President Joe Biden must also sign the legislation before the coins can be released.
Karen V. Hill, president and CEO of Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., gave thanks to the lawmakers who came together to pass the legislation.
“In this bi-centennial year of Harriet Tubman it is huge that there is bicameral and bipartisan support to honor her life and legacy with the commemorative coins. Tubman’s heroism, patriotism and activism are all a part of what made America,” Hill said in a statement to Blavity.
Dennis V. Proctor, chairman of Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., said, “The three commemorative coins from the U.S. Mint are most fitting.”
“We are the stewards of Tubman’s legacy. Our goal remains to find meaningful ways to share Harriet with freedom loving people throughout the world. The coins are a symbol of Tubman’s quest for freedom, equity and destiny. The ideals of democracy,” Proctor said in a statement to Blavity.
