Maya Angelou becomes the first Black woman to be on the U.S. quarter

by Peter Schulte

At the beginning of January 2022, the United States Mint started the American Women Quarters Program by shipping out quarters with Maya Angelou featured on one side of the coin. With Angelou being the first Black woman on any U.S. currency, this is a milestone that has been long-awaited.

Angelou was a prominent American civil rights activist, author, and poet. She published the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a famous story about civil rights that has been read by millions of students across the country. 

While the American Women Quarters Program begins with Angelou, more quarters will be rolled out featuring additional honorees who have shaped U.S. history. Five women will be featured on U.S. quarters in 2022 including Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong. 

This program will continue on through 2025 and will continue featuring five women each year. It will not only encourage future generations to learn more about how these women shaped U.S. history, but allow women to see themselves better represented and celebrated in our institutions and culture.