By Kendyl Brower
Author, poet, historian, professor, songwriter, dancer, director, performer, civil rights activist—one side of a quarter cannot fit the entirety of Maya Angelou’s legacy. Her long winded career begins with theater, as Angelou performed in on and off broadway shows throughout her early 20s. Shortly after, Angelou switched paths, becoming an editor of The Arab Observer from 1964 to 1966 as well as a feature editor of The Afrian Review. Upon her return to the United States, Angelou continued to write, this time autobiographical novels such the famous, I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing which made history as the first nonfiction bestseller from an African-American woman. Moreover, Angelou wrote groundbreaking poetry, including the notable, “Still I Rise” about triumphant Black power.
If you are not already impressed, Angelou also became the first black woman director in Hollywood. She crafted an original screenplay and music for Georgia, Georgia in 1971 and produced documentaries such as “Afro-Americans in the Arts” which won the Golden Eagle Award. Around this time, Angelou picked up yet another profession, working as a professor of American studies at Wake Forest University.
The list never ends: Angelou also had her fair share of time in Washington, D.C.. Gerald Ford appointed her to the Bicentennial Commission and Jimmy Carter appointed her to the Comission for International Woman of the Year. Additionally, Angelou wrote and read her original, Grammy-winning poem, “On The Pulse of the Morning” at Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Her dedication accumulates in various awards—Angelou received the national Medal of Arts in 2000 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2010.
Angelou died on May 28, 2014, but her never-ending list of accomplishments live on, now solidified in the US quarter. The new design is a part of the American Women Quarters Program which aims to honor 20 women in US history. Designed by Emily Damstra, the coin pictures Angelou spreading her arms like a bird which Damtra notes, is “symbolic of the way she lived.” A major theme of Angelou’s work is birds in flight, thus, Damstra made sure to include a purple martin, a species native to Angelou’s hometown of Arkansas. So next time you find a quarter on the ground or get some spare change at the store, make sure to check if you are holding one of the most influential, inspiring women in the palm of your hand.