Ask the average American to name a soldier in the fight against slavery, and Harriet Tubmans name is likely one that makes the shortlist. Famous for her efforts to free enslaved people in the southern US, Tubman was one of the countrys most notable 19th-century freedom fighters. She is memorialized with various statues, museums, and educational initiatives, including a national monument in Maryland, but for years, efforts have been underway to further cement Tubmans legacy. In a somewhat divisive action, it was proposed that Tubmans face be added to the $20 bill, and the old design made obsolete. What facts support instituting the Tubman bill, and why has the move been so controversial?Who Was Harriet Tubman?Harriet Tubman circa 1885. Source: National Portrait GalleryHarriet Tubman was born Araminta Minty Ross sometime in March 1822 into a life of slavery, and later adopted her husbands last name of Tubman. She then became Harriet in an effort to conceal her identity when she later escaped from bondage, taking on her mothers name. After finding out she was about to be sold and separated from her family, Tubman resolved to escape to the north. Traveling by night, she relied on members of the Underground Railroad to aid in her escape. She ended up in Philadelphia, where she took on odd jobs to save up cash. She was determined to return south for her family, and others.A mural at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Dorchester County, Maryland. Source: Wikimedia CommonsHarriet Tubman became a conductor on the Underground Railroad-taking on the role of those who had aided in her escape. In 1851, she made her first trip, bringing her sister and her sisters children north to freedom. She also rescued her parents in 1857. Despite rewards offered for her capture, by the time the American Civil War rolled around, Tubman had made 13 southern expeditions, leading a total of 70 slaves to their freedom. In addition, she provided specific instructions to aid dozens of others in their journeys to liberty.She purchased a home and land in Auburn, New York. During the Civil War, she served in the Union Army as a nurse, scout, and occasional agent of espionage. She became the first woman to lead a major US military operation in June of 1863, when she guided 150 soldiers in the Combahee Ferry Raid, resulting in the rescue of 700 enslaved people.After the conflict, she spent her life caring for the elderly, including opening the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged. She was also involved in helping impoverished people and working for the causes of equality and womens suffrage. Tubman died in 1913 in her 90s from pneumonia. Her funeral, at Fort Hill Cemetery in the town shed made her home, was held with military honors.What Legacy Did Tubman Leave Behind?Harriet Tubman in her advanced years, portrait likely taken at her home in New York. Source: Library of Congress/Wikimedia CommonsFrom her life of service, Tubman left countless threads of enduring legacy that can be woven into a memorable heritage. First and foremost, the memories of her deeds and accomplishments are enough to encourage generations of Americans to continue to fight for equality and freedom for all. Despite the clear racial divides in the country during Harriets lifetime, including legal segregation, she had a remarkable ability to forge alliances between Black and white people to encourage progress that benefitted all. Booker T. Washington once remarked that she brought the two races together.Washington wasnt the only notable person to comment on Tubmans work. She was recognized by freedom fighter John Brown, who called her General Tubman, along with Governor, Senator, and Secretary of State William Seward, who considered her a friend. Queen Victoria of England heard of Tubmans efforts and sent her gifts and a letter.During her lifetime, Tubman was well-known and widely respected, and that reputation continued far beyond her death. A 20th-century survey named her one of the most famous civilians in pre-Civil War history, and she continues to inspire those seeking to promote equality. Numerous schools and museums have been named for Tubman throughout the country.March 10 is remembered as Harriet Tubman Day in America, and in November of 2024, Tubman was posthumously awarded the title of Brigadier General, in recognition of her efforts during the Civil War. Commissioned in a private ceremony by the Maryland National Guard, Tubman was honored despite having never received an official military status in her lifetime. The sentiment was received by Tubmans great-great-great-grandniece in her aunts honor.Controversy of the $20 BillAndrew Jackson is currently the face of the US $20 bill. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe first United States $20 bill was issued in 1914, featuring a portrait of President Grover Cleveland. In 1929, the portrait was changed to one of the seventh president, Andrew Jackson. Though the portrait and design of the bill have changed over the decades, Jackson remains the face on the $20 bill.The reason that Jackson was originally placed on the bill is lost to history, though it may have been in recognition of the hundred-year anniversary of his presidency. In fact, the former president opposed the use of paper currency and likely would have objected to this use of his image. Jacksons role as the face of the $20 bill has come under fire in recent years as his legacy as one of the most controversial men in American history has come to light.Jackson attempted to dismantle the National Bank and remove paper currency, resulting in an economic depression. While he was known as a defender of the common man, Jackson was a proponent of slavery and the subjugation of Americas Indigenous people. He signed the 1830 Indian Removal Act, which culminated in the infamous Trail of Tears and complete disregard of Supreme Court rulings. These actions have led some to question whether or not Jackson should be honored on American currency.Changing the Face of the TwentyHarriet Tubman, taken in the years immediately following the Civil War. Source: Swann Galleries Archive/Wikimedia CommonsIn 2015, an advocacy group called Women on Twenties campaigned for the US Treasury to change the $20 bill, arguing that Jackson was undeserving and that women are underrepresented on American currency. In 2016, the Treasury announced that Harriet Tubman would replace Jacksons face by 2020. However, with the onset of the first Trump Administration, the change was delayed, with Trump, a declared fan of Jacksons, calling the move one of pure political correctness.In 2019, the treasury announced that the change would come in 2028. In June of that year, it was announced that an investigation would be undertaken into the delay after senators called on the department for answers. The investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing, and the Biden Administration announced plans to move forward with the change.Moving Ahead SlowlyHarriet Tubman placard in the National Abolition Hall of Fame & Museum in Peterboro, NY. Source: Wikimedia CommonsDespite the promises of the Biden presidency, there seems to be little progress towards a Tubman bill at this time. In testimony before the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated that the holdup was due to the bill needing work to prevent counterfeiting and needing the addition of security measures. The latest projected date for release has been extended to 2030, and this is considered a soft date, meaning it might be pushed even further out.On March 10, 2025, Representative Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act. She first introduced the original Tubman bill legislation in 2015 after the work of the Women on Twenties group, and re-introduced her legislation 10 years later in hopes of moving it forward. Shaheens bill would make the 2030 date a hard deadline rather than a soft date, requiring the printing of $20 bills to feature Tubman by December 31, 2030. Though the bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process at the time of writing this article, Shaheen has pledged to pursue all avenues to see it to completion and complete Tubmans recognition.A prototype of the Harriet Tubman twenty-dollar bill. This design was produced in 2016. Source: Bureau of Engraving & Printing, United States/Wikimedia CommonsRecognizing Tubman on the $20 bill seems like a small homage when the depths of her contributions to United States history are considered. Many proponents argue that the failure to move the bills printing forward speaks not to the enduring legacies of Tubman herself, but to the lasting bequests of racism and the superiority of men over women in the modern United States. Relics that extended beyond Tubmans time, these issues remain a point of contentious discussion decades later.Only two women have ever been featured on paper currency in America, and only briefly: Martha Washington and Pocahontas. Tubman would not only be one of the few women on Americas money, but the first African American.Will progress truly be made towards Tubmans bill? Time will tell whether or not this simple, yet important, reminder of Tubmans complex contributions comes to fruition, but in the meantime, her legacy continues to inspire.

For centuries, female rulers led armies, organized military campaigns, and brandished weapons during critical moments of their realms history. While most of these accounts have been mythologized or exaggerated over time, these queens, empresses, and noblewomen stunned their peers by bearing arms and sometimes even joining their forces on the frontlines. From Japan to Italy, these rulers rejected all societal norms by protecting their reigns on the battlefield while securing their dynasties as expectant mothers.1. Empress Jing of JapanThe Legendary Empress Jing, by the Studio of Katsushika Hokusai, 1847. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of ArtEmpress Jing (AD 169-269) remains one of Japans most legendary rulers. Following the assassination of her husband, Emperor Chai, in AD 200, Jing avenged his death and successfully invaded the Korean Peninsula.While artistic re-creations depict Jing as a ruthless warrior, most Japanese folktales celebrate her three-year campaign in Korea as a bloodless victory, as the Korean kingdoms quickly surrender to her. However, most accounts are mythical retellings from the oldest Japanese chronicles commissioned during the 8th century.Jings legacy was further nationalized during the 19th-20th centuries, melding fact from fiction about her reign, invasions, and motherhood.Empress Jingu Lands in Korea, by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1880. Source: Wikimedia CommonsOfficial Japanese chronicles recount how Jing donned male armor to lead her men to avenge her husband, later invading the Korean kingdoms as the chief military commander. Jing is often depicted as an onna-bugeisha, a member of the elite group of female samurai. Also depicted is her pregnant belly. According to Japanese legends, Jing fell pregnant before her husbands murder but delayed the birth for three years by binding her stomach with stones. She only allowed herself to give birth to their heir after she avenged the emperor and ruled the Korean Peninsula.However, there is no concrete evidence that she ever existed. Instead, most scholars believe that she is part of the mother-goddess cult in Japanese mythology. For example, some chronicles record that she conquered the Korean kingdoms using divine jewels to control the tides. Other accounts narrate that her son, jin, became the God of War Hachiman.Without any archaeological proof, Jings iconic role in Japanese history and legend remains contentious. Some researchers argue that her existence was weaponized to justify Japans invasions and brutal occupations of Korea. Others contend she may have been a re-interpretation of the shaman-queen Himiko, who ruled Japan in the 3rd century.2. Caterina Sforza, Countess of Forl and Lady of ImolaLady of the Jasmin, Caterina Sforza, by Lorenzo di Credi, c. 1481-1483. Source: Wikimedia CommonsCaterina Sforza (AD 1463-1509) was an Italian noblewoman and Countess of Imola and Forli in Northern Italy. She balanced uprisings, papal wars, and hostage situations to secure her familys legacy, later enabling her grandson, Cosimo de Medici, to establish the Medici Dynasty in Florence. Her political brilliance and beauty mystified Renaissance figures, captivating Machiavelli and becoming a muse to Sandro Botticelli. She was also a lifelong proponent of the sciences, even writing a book, Experimenti, composed of 454 alchemical and cosmetic recipes.Rome, A View of the Tiber with the Castel SantAngelo and Saint Peters Basilica, by Antonio Joli, c. 18th century. Source: Wikimedia CommonsCaterinas political prowess first reached notoriety when she was seven months pregnant in 1484. Her husband, Girolamo Riario, was widely detested for the wealth accrued from his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV.After the popes death in 1484, riots, mobs, and looting broke out across Rome. Instead of fleeing, Caterina grabbed a horse and sword, assembled her soldiers, and stormed Castel Sant Angelo. Seizing the castle, she turned the cannons on St. Peters Basilica, threatening to fire upon the Conclave should they not legitimize her husbands titles. Some cardinals fled, but eventually they agreed to her demands and allowed Girolamo to maintain his wealth.Caterina developed a ruthless yet clever approach to maintain her power amid revolts, feuds with the Borgias, and two assassinated husbands. Nicknamed the Tigress of Forli, she outmaneuvered most noblemen and popes who attempted to quell her authority. In 1488, she refused to surrender to the Orsi family after they assassinated Girolamo and took her six children hostage.Popular retellings detail how, instead, she climbed the fortress walls, then flashed her genitals, yelling, Do it, if you want to! Hang them even in front of meHere I have whats needed to make others! However, most researchers believe this to be a sensationalized account. Instead, some contend she declared she was pregnant, proving she would continue having heirs regardless of their threats.3. Mandukhai Khatun, Queen of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in MongoliaEquestrian Combat, Deiz Album depiction of the Mongol Cavalry, c. 1350. Source: Wikimedia CommonsMandukhai Khatun (c. AD 1449-c. 1510) is a beloved national figure in Mongol history. Her 30-year reign is often regarded as the second coming of Genghis Khan. In addition to unifying the Mongol tribes after a century of violent fractioning, she re-established the Golden Dynasty, or Golden Family, by placing Genghis Khans last direct male descendant back on the throne as her co-ruler. She earned the nickname the Wise for her military and political finesse that pacified the Northern Yuan Dynasty and rebuked the Ming Dynasty. Some historians even argue that the threat she posed led the Ming Dynasty to vastly expand the Great Wall of China.Mandukhai was first married to Manduul Khan, who ruled from 1473 to 1479. However, the khanate fell into disarray after he died unexpectedly without a male heir. To secure her position, Mandukhai located and adopted the last direct male heir of Genghis Khan from the Borjigin clan, a seven-year-old orphan named Batmunkh. Serving as his regent, she later married Batmunkh when he turned 19, reigning as her co-ruler Dayan Khan. Together, they returned the Borjigin clan to its former glory, thereby legitimizing their reunification campaign of the Mongol tribes.Mounted Mongol warriors pursue enemies from the Jmi al-Tawrkh chronicles by Rashid al-Din Hamadani, c. 14th century. Source: Wikimedia CommonsMandukhai became infamous as both a leader and a warrior. Mongol chronicles mythicized aspects of Mandukhais military campaigns. These tales describe how she often led cavalry charges and fought alongside her men in raids, wars, and defensive campaigns against the Ming Dynasty and warring Mongol tribes.Chroniclers recall the countless battles she fought while pregnant, covered in male armor, charging into war on horseback, and wielding a sword. Most famously, some legends recount that she gave birth on the battlefield during the reunification wars against the Oirats, a Western Mongol tribe. These tales record how she stopped fighting long enough to give birth to twin boys before immediately returning to the battle.4. Isabella of Castile, Queen of Castile and LenIsabella I of Castile, by unknown artist, c. 1490. Source: Wikimedia CommonsIsabella of Castile (AD 1451-1504) began the unification of Spain and its transformation into a global superpower. Ruling alongside Ferdinand II of Aragon, the Catholic Monarchs purged Spains multicultural populations to create a homogenous Catholic nation. They completed the Reconquista, defeating the final Muslim stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula. They also launched the Spanish Inquisition and infamously expelled thousands of Jews and Muslims from Spain between 1478 and to 1502.Marrying their children into Europes most powerful royal families, the pair further expanded their rule by founding the Spanish Empire through Christopher Columbus in 1492.The Capitulation of Granada, by Vicente Barneto y Vazquez, c. 19th century. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe Catholic Monarchs successfully waged war for decades during the War of Castilian Succession (1475-1479) and the Granada War (1482-1492). Throughout these campaigns, Isabella presented herself as a warrior queen, donning a military breastplate decorated with silk and brandishing a sword. She rode alongside every major siege to boost morale, raise funds, organize medical tents, and advise battle plans.Her direct involvement still sparks curiosity, inspiring fictionalized battle scenes in popular culture productions like the television series,The Spanish Princess, in which she leads her men into battle to slay Moorish aggressors. However, there is no evidence that she ever fought in direct combat.Her years on campaigns, battlefields, war zones, and in hostile territories coincided with seven pregnancies. She was often pregnant while donning armor during sieges, managing military camps, and preparing the frontlines. Most of her children were born during military campaigns from 1470 to 1485. Her five surviving children were raised amid battles where they were taught by the best tutors in Europe, with cannon fire blasting in the background.Some historians believe that the physical toll of her tireless work and military travel potentially caused miscarriages. For instance, in 1475, she miscarried after riding on horseback to Toledo to garner support during the Castilian Succession War.5. Catherine of Aragon, Queen of EnglandCatalina de Aragn, Lambeth Palace, c. 1520. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThe daughter of Isabella of Castile, Catherine of Aragon (AD 1485-1536), served as queen consort of England. First married to Arthur Tudor, she married his brother Henry VIII after Arthurs unexpected death in 1502. Following 23 years of marriage and no male heir, Henry divorced Catherine to marry her lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn. Failing to obtain an annulment, Henry VIII triggered the English Reformation by famously splitting with the Catholic Church and creating the Church of England. Catherine remained steadfast, refusing to relinquish her titles, Catholic devotion, and the legitimacy of her daughter, Mary I, as the only heir to the throne.Battle Ep. 2 Clip, The Spanish Princess Part 2, Starz, 2020. The clip depicts how the series portrayed Catherines involvement in the Battle of Flodden. Source: YouTubeOver a decade before their separation, Catherine fended off a Scottish invasion while pregnant. When Henry VIII was on campaign in France, King James IV of Scotland sought to invade Northern England with 30,000 troops. Serving as regent and inspired by her mothers previous military engagements, Catherine assisted with military efforts to thwart the invasion led by the Earl of Surrey. On September 9, 1513, James IV was defeated at the Battle of Flodden in one of the bloodiest land battles in British history. James IV, his nobles, and between 10,000 and 14,000 Scottish troops were slaughtered.Dramatizations, especially from The Spanish Princess, depict Catherine fighting alongside her men in custom armor to protect her pregnant belly. Yet most of these depictions are false.While Catherine was most eager to lead English soldiers into battle, she never fought nor made it to the Scottish border in time. She only made it 60 miles north of London before receiving the news of the victory at Flodden. Instead, sources indicate Catherine followed in her mothers footsteps by advising military strategy, raising funds, recruiting soldiers, and organizing supply chains. Historical records also prove that she did wear armor on multiple occasions to give speeches and boost soldier morale before they went into battle.

Resident Evil Veronica is on the way, but it's going to be missing one of the best features introduced in Resident Evil Requiem, though fans might be able to sway developers if they complain enough.

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It's been eight years since Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls 6 at E3 2018, a conference that no longer exists. To put that into perspective, we were still two years away from the Covid lockdowns at that point, I had no grey hair whatsoever, and the PlayStation 5 hadn't even been announced yet. It was a lifetime ago. Yet, here we are, in 2026, and we're still gobbling up any little scraps of information on The Elder Scrolls 6, and thanks to Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty, we've got another little morsel to enjoy.

Runescape Dragonwilds' next major content drop is coming, and Umbral Sands is not even a fortnight away. The survival game's third big update will send you to a sprawling desert region that's riddled with Kalphites and Kot'Haar, but fortunately you'll have guardian of the dead Icthlarin on side. As you journey through the sands, you'll encounter dragons, magic carpets, and Dragonwilds' take on Runescape's iconic Fight Cave.

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