20 Dollars 2013, Barbados
| in Krause book | Number: 76 |
| Years of issue: | 02.05.2013 |
| Edition: | 5 545 449 |
| Signatures: | Governor: Dr. DeLisle Worrell (2009 - 2017) |
| Serie: | 2013 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 02.05.2013 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 150 x 65 |
| Printer: | De la Rue currency,Loughton |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Charles Duncan O'Neal, denomination 20 and cornerstones.
Avers:
Samuel Jackman Prescod (1806 – 26 September 1871) became the first person of African descent to be elected to the Parliament of Barbados, in 1843. He also helped found the Liberal Party, whose following included small landowners, businessmen, and coloured clerks. The Parliament of Barbados has enacted that he should be styled as "The Right Excellent" and that his life be celebrated on National Heroes Day (28 April) in Barbados.
Prescod was born as the son of a free woman of colour, Lidia Smith, and a wealthy white father, William Prescod. He was given his forenames for Samuel Jackman, a local white planter.
Prescod was excluded from politics in Barbados. A law of 1697 required that all voters should be white, own 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land and be of the Christian religion. In fact it was not until 1721 that non-whites testimony was accepted in a court in Barbados.
Samuel began his political work in 1829 and it was on 9 June 1831 a major change took place that allowed coloured people the same rights to vote as white people. The new act passed by Sir James Lyon, the Governor, removed "certain restraints and disabilities imposed by law on His Majesty's Free Coloured and Free Black Subjects in this Island." Postage stamps of both Lyon and Prescod were issued in 2006 to commemorate this event.
Although it was said that Prescod bore "no distinguishing marks of negro complexion" he was still subject to the racial discrimination endemic at that time. Even though he was well educated, a journalist and an acknowledged leader of the coloured community, he was thrown out of the Barbados House of Representatives for observing the political process like any other citizen was entitled to.
It was not until 1836 that non-whites were given their first newspaper, which was called the New Times. Samuel served for eight months without being paid, before the job was taken away from him as it was felt that his ideas were too radical. Prescod moved on to another paper, The Liberal, which was where he found his voice. This paper was targeted at working- and middle-class people irrespective of colour. The paper got into financial difficulties and Prescod was able to buy it in partnership with a man called Thomas Harris. Harris allowed him editorial freedom and this led to problems with the establishment, who saw him as challenging the plantocracy.
In 1838, the concept of slavery was finally outlawed and about 80,000 slaves in Barbados lost their former status. Prescod, however, wrote:
"Fellow Men and Friends I have lived to see you declared free men and I hope ... to live and see you made free..."
Prescod was aware that the laws preventing all from voting would prevent all the Barbadians from being truly free.
Prescod is to the right of this painting of the 1840 Anti-Slavery Convention. Move your cursor to identify him or click the icon to enlarge
In 1840, Prescod journeyed to London to attend the World's Anti-Slavery Convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados.
In July 1840, Prescod wrote to the Colonial Office in Barbados as a leader of the coloured community. He was protesting at the high prices that landowners were putting on small plots of land. This was important, since the white owners were using this as a device to prevent other races from entering the land-owning middle class. Moreover, the ability to vote was linked to land ownership. Investigations by the Colonial Office confirmed Prescod's suspicions and the landowners were indeed buying up any small plots of land that did become available, even if this meant some small hardship for themselves. He was successful in getting a change in the law but the effect was minimal. In 1840 there were 1,153 voters; historian Hilary Beckles calculates there was still less than five per cent of the population voting after the bill was passed on 6 June 1840, with the number of eligible voters in 1849 showing only a moderate increase to 1,322.
1840 must have been a very busy year for Prescod, as not only was he writing letters of protest and travelling to Europe and back but he also served eight days in gaol for criminal libel arising out of his editorial freedom with The Liberal newspaper. However, importantly the change in the emancipation had created a new constituency of "Bridgetown".
The Parliament building stands to the north of what is now called National Heroes Square
On 6 June 1843, Prescod was one of two people elected from the new constituency of Bridgetown. This was particularly difficult, as not only had he to overcome the prejudices, he had to work especially hard since it was only people who owned land who could vote. Moreover, this was not a secret ballot. At that time the polling booth was a piece of paper with the names of the candidates shown. Beneath the name of your choice you had to sign your name for all to see.
Prescod was always in opposition to the government, but he worked with others to create the Liberal Party. He was particularly noted for his work in creating educational facilities for the children of ex-slaves. This was not just primary and secondary education, but tertiary too, so it is appropriate that a polytechnic for islanders is named after him.
He retired in 1860 and accepted a position as Judge of the Assistant Court of Appeal.
Prescod died in 1871 at the age of 65 on 26 September and he was interred at St. Mary's Church in Bridgetown. The local Barbados Times described him as "the great tribune of the people". 
In top left corner is the coat of arms.
The coat of arms of Barbados was adopted on 14 February 1966 by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II. The coat of arms of Barbados was presented by the Queen to the President of the Senate, Sir Grey Massiah. Like other former British possessions in the Caribbean, the coat of arms has a helmet with a national symbol on top, and a shield beneath that is supported by two animals.
The arms were designed by Neville Connell, for many years curator of the Barbados Museum, with artistic assistance by Hilda Ince.
The national symbol found on top of the helmet for Barbados is the fist of a Barbadian holding two stalks of sugar cane, that are crossed to resemble St. Andrew's Cross. This is representative of the importance of the sugar industry as well as Barbados celebrating its national independence day on St. Andrew's Day.
The shield is gold in colour. Upon it are a pair of the national flower, known as the Pride of Barbados, and a single bearded fig tree (Ficus citrifolia). The shield is supported by a dolphin fish and a pelican. They stand for the fishing industry and Pelican Island, respectively.
At the bottom is Barbados' national motto ("Pride and Industry") on a scroll.
On background and as seen-through image are the tridents.
The trident symbol was taken from Barbados' colonial badge, where the trident of Poseidon is shown with Britannia holding it. The broken lower part symbolizes a symbolic break from its status as a colony. The three points of the trident represent the three principles of democracy: 1) government of the people, 2) government for the people, and 3) government by the people.
On background is the map of Barbados.
Denominations in numerals are in top left and lower right corners, in words centered.
Revers:
The Parliament Buildings (also known as The Public Buildings, or more rarely Parliament House), is the seat of the Parliament of Barbados. Built between 1870 and 1874, the buildings have been the meeting place for both chambers of Parliament since 16 June 1874, and a former site of Colonial administration of Barbados. It consists of two buildings in the neo-Gothic architectural style, and are reminiscent of the Victorian era of Great Britain.
The buildings are situated along the north bank of the Constitution River and are bordered by Upper Broad Street and National Heroes Square to the south; strategically at the heart of the capital city Bridgetown. Prior to the establishment of the buildings the legislature met at the Town Hall building on Coleridge Street.
In 1989 the Public Buildings were officially renamed the Parliament Buildings by Act of Parliament. In 2011 both buildings were designated as UNESCO protected properties within the World Heritage Site of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison area.
Denominations in numerals are in top corners, in words - at the bottom.
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