The U.S. Mint announced Monday that it has begun circulating a quarter that features the late Maya Angelou.
It's the first quarter to be released in the American Women Quarters (AWQ) Program, which honors trailblazing women.
“Maya Angelou’s writing and activism inspired countless Americans and her legacy helped fuel greater fairness and understanding across our nation,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, (D-NV). “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."
Angelou is the first Black woman to appear on a U.S. quarter.
Other women to be featured on quarters include Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren and Anna May Wong.
The quarters will be released through 2025.
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
Maya Angelou received the Medal of Freedom from former President Barack Obama in 2010.
She died at the age of 86 in 2014.