American Women Quarters Program

Surprising that the US government does know what women are in other situations.

It seems that to become an important part of our nation’s history does not take as much sacrifice as one would think. But of course, maybe its because quarter dollar coins are of little worth and most likely will not be remembered especially when the US mint is churning out new issues as quickly as possible.

I guess I still am holding onto a false belief that this country was founded for greatness on the world’s stage that I am mostly disappointed at this whole program. Maybe, I should just accept that this government is corrupt and in decay at a faster pace than any in global power in previous history.

2024 Quarters

I should look at the bright side at least they did not vote a male of our species to represent a female woman!

Below is light review of the US government’s representation of US women. My response in BOLD is for those I don’t believe should be on a coin. In Italics are those I understand but still am on the fence about and in regular type are those that are obvious choices. I created this just to give food for thought.

The Womens’ State Quarters program

2022

Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist. –She was an accomplished woman for sure. I guess her writing a poem for President Bill Clinton helped get her on a coin.

Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and first American woman in space. Legitimate choice

Wilma Mankiller – first woman elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Why is the USA celebrating an official of another government?

Nina Otero-Warren – suffrage leader and the first woman superintendent of Santa Fe public schools – A woman from a well to do family. Wealthy woman politically involved, how is that someone who should be on a state quarter? There were many suffrage leaders.

Anna May Wong – first Chinese American film star in Hollywood. No actor or actress should be on a government issue currency, sorry.

2023

Bessie Coleman – first African American and first Native American woman licensed pilot. How about the first multiracial pilot, she can’t be both. Not that a person should get on a currency just because of their physical characteristics.

Edith Kanakaʻole – indigenous Hawaiian composer, custodian of native culture and traditions. I guess this is important for Hawaii.

Eleanor Roosevelt – leader, reformer, first lady, and author. She is definitely a powerful political and historical figure and wife of a former president.

Jovita Idar – Mexican American journalist, activist, teacher, and suffragist- Legitimate for the now very large Mexican American Community in the USA

Maria Tallchief – America’s first prima ballerina. Its wonderful that she was such an accomplished ballerina, but I don’t believe artists or entertainers of any kind should be on the currency unless they did good works for the country.

2024

Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray – poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest. Why are her accomplishment as an Episcopal priest something to get her on US currency?

Patsy Takemoto Mink – first woman of color to serve in Congress. First woman of color in Congress? What color is that? She is Japanese American, I would think that it should be more important than the color of her skin, especially after the suffering of our Japanese American citizens experienced at the hands of their own government during WW2.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – Civil War era surgeon, women’s rights and dress reform advocate. A very legitimate choice.

Celia Cruz – Cuban-American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. I am Cuban American and am happy she is on the quarter though I still don’t believe entertainers should be put on currency. Though she at least made a political statement by rejecting the Cuban Communist-Socialist revolution to live in a then free country of the USA.

Zitkala-Ša – writer, composer, educator, and political activist. Also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, her big contribution was getting voting rights for the Native Indigenous Americans. She was definitely a well-educated and admirable person.