In March, we honored Women’s History Month by commemorating the American Women Quarters™ Program implemented through the United States Mint. The United States Mint is an office of the Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States.

“In late 2020, Congress passed legislation (P.L. 116-330, signed into law on January 13, 2021) directing the U.S. Mint to consult with the National Women’s History Museum, as well as the Smithsonian Institution American Women’s History Initiative and the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, to identify prominent American women to honor on a series of quarter dollars over the next four years” – National Women’s History Museum.

According to the United States Mint, “Beginning in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the U.S. Mint will issue up to five new reverse designs each year. The obverse of each coin will maintain a likeness of George Washington, but is different from the design used during the previous quarter program.”

In October 2021, the new quarter designs were announced, commemorating five distinguished American women celebrated on the quarters. Maya Angelou, Wilma Mankiller, Sally Ride, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong.

In honor of this new program, students Ruby Blakesleay ’22 and Isabella Piechota ‘25 curated a display of books featuring these women. The display will be up through the end of the Spring 2022 semester.

Feel free to check out any books or access the entire bibliography on digital commons here.


American Women Quarters

The distinguished American women celebrated on the quarters are listed below in the quarters ordered to be released in 2022:

  • Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist
  • Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman in space
  • Wilma Mankiller – first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation
  • Nina Otero-Warren – a leader in New Mexico’s suffrage movement and the first female superintendent of Santa Fe public schools
  • Anna May Wong – first Chinese American film star in Hollywood

Source: https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-women-quarters