Maya Angelou’s image will be placed on a new batch of U.S. quarters that went into distribution on Monday, the U.S. Mint announced. The achievement makes her the first Black woman in the country’s history to ever appear on the coin.
U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) shared the news on Twitter, not holding back any of her excitement for the declaration.
“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,” she wrote.
Ventris C. Gibson, U.S. mint deputy director, explained the coin is the first of its campaign dedicated to honoring American women for their contributions to society.
“Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this historic coin program. Maya Angelou, featured on the reverse of this first coin in the series, used words to inspire and uplift,” Gibson said in the announcement.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a separate statement that the coin serves as a chance to say “what we value, and how we’ve progressed as a society.”
“I’m very proud that these coins celebrate the contributions of some of America’s most remarkable women, including Maya Angelou,” she wrote.
Source: Maya Angelou To Become First Black Woman To Appear On US Quarter
