America is recognizing an outstanding Black woman on its coinage.
Fantastic poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou is now the first Black woman to appear on a U.S. coin.
U.S. Mint unveiled on Jan. 10, 2022, that the late, legendary Angelou on a U.S. quarter.
The first coin of the American Women Quarters™ Program is here—the Maya Angelou Quarter! Learn about honoree Maya Angelou and #HerQuarter in our press release at https://t.co/yYzGJpXQDD. Look for it in your change. @USTreasury @smithsonian @womenshistory @DrMayaAngelou @WCPInst pic.twitter.com/GVUpcnbszq
— United States Mint (@usmint) January 10, 2022
The new coin is a part of the American Women Quarters Program designed to pay homage to a number of transcendent American female figures throughout history. According to the organization’s press release, more quarters featuring women will be unveiled between 2022 and 2025.
“Each time we redesign our currency, we have the chance to say something about our country — what we value, and how we’ve progressed as a society,” the Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement obtained by CNN. “I’m very proud that these coins celebrate the contributions of some of America’s most remarkable women, including Maya Angelou.”
Lawmakers broke out in cheers the release of the new coin on Monday. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, was lauded for spearheading the effort. Lee introduced the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which passed in January 2021 and led to the creation of these new coins.
“The phenomenal women who shaped American history have gone unrecognized for too long — especially women of color,” Lee said in a tweet. “Proud to have led this bill to honor their legacies.”
Excited to announce that today, Maya Angelou becomes the first Black woman to appear on a US quarter!
The phenomenal women who shaped American history have gone unrecognized for too long—especially women of color. Proud to have led this bill to honor their legacies. pic.twitter.com/TYZeEJ8LhX
— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) January 10, 2022
