St. Louis’ own Dr. Maya Angelou, the writer, poet, performer, social activist, and teacher became the first Black woman to appear on the quarter-dollar, the U.S. Mint announced early last week. An act of Congress in 2020 under Public Law 116-330 section was passed this month to ratifying an amendment approving redesign of the coin.
Angelou is the first of five women set to be featured on the new 25-cent coins this year. The other 2022 honorees include Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren and Anna May Wong.
“If you find yourself holding a Maya Angelou quarter, may you be reminded of her words, ‘be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.'” -Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Public Law 116-330 section states the design on the reverse side of each quarter dollar issued under this subsection shall be emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of prominent women of the United States.
The new 25-cent coin will feature Angelou from the hips up, with her arms uplifted, a bird in flight, and a rising sun behind her — “images inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived,” according to the U.S. Mint. To the right are the words “e pluribus unum,” Latin for “out of many, one,” a phrase also on the national seal. Emily Damstra designed the quarter, and Craig A. Campbell sculpted it.
A beloved writer, Angelou gained international recognition after publication of her moving autobiographical novel, 1969’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
In her 86 years, Angelou published 30 bestsellers, works of non-fiction, verse, and fiction. Angelou also produced the first screenplay by a Black woman in 1972, which became a film titled, “Georgia”.
When she moved to New York City in 1959, she joined the Harlem Writers Guild. She became acquainted with Rosa Parks, and Julian Mayfield. The following year she met the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and soon became the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s (Atlanta-based civil rights organization) Northern Coordinator.
In 1993 in an unforgettable Grammy-winning recitation, Angelou read her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” at Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration. She became the first woman ever to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration and the first poet to do so since 1961.
President Barack Obama awarded Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. She was the 2013 recipient of the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award for contributions to literature.
“Maya Angelou’s writing and activism inspired countless Americans and her legacy helped fuel greater fairness and understanding across our nation,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senate sponsor of the bill.
“She is exactly the type of leader I had in mind when Senator Fischer, Representative Lee, and I wrote our bipartisan legislation to create a series of quarters honoring the contributions of American women. This coin will ensure generations of Americans learn about Maya Angelou’s books and poetry that spoke to the lived experience of Black women.”
“As a leader in the civil rights movement, poet laureate, college professor, Broadway actress, dancer, and San Francisco’s first Black woman cable car conductor, Maya Angelou’s brilliance inspired generations,” said Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA).
“If you find yourself holding a Maya Angelou quarter, may you be reminded of her words, ‘be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity,'” stated Lee.
“The phenomenal women who shaped American history have gone unrecognized for too long — especially women of color,” Lee tweeted. “Proud to have led this bill to honor their legacies,” she continued.
Thankfully the diversity was not limited to Angelou. In 2022, other honorees include: first woman astronaut Dr. Sally Ride; Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation and an activist for Native Americans and women’s rights; Nina Otero-Warren, who became a leader in New Mexico’s suffrage movement and the first female superintendent of Santa Fe public schools; and Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood.
The U.S. Mint recommends that those interested in the coin’s release date ask their local bank if they have any available in late January and early February.
