Hollywood icon Anna May Wong set to be first Asian American on US currency
Chinese American Hollywood icon Anna May Wong will become the first Asian American to be featured on US currency in the history of the country. This welcome addition is a part of The American Women Quarters Program, which is an initiative to highlight the contributions of female pioneers from diverse backgrounds.
The US Mint website says: “The American Women Quarters Program is a four-year program that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the development and history of our country. Beginning in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the US Mint will issue up to five new reverse designs each year.”
The mission statement adds: “The American Women Quarters may feature contributions from a variety of fields, including, but not limited to, suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honoured will be from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.”
Wong’s story truly deserves more recognition since she overcame a lot of discrimination in Hollywood to establish herself as a bonafide star. Her extensive body of work includes the domains of film, television and theatre. She is also remembered for her show The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, the first American show with an Asian American as the lead.
Alongside Wong, other pioneers such as Maya Angelou, Nina Otero-Warren, Wilma Mankiller and Dr. Sally Ride will also be included in this year’s lineup of The American Women Quarters Program.
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