Beginning this Monday, the U.S. Mint will begin shipping quarters that will feature Asian American actress and icon, Anna May Wong. The move come as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program, celebrating female trailblazers of American History. The U.S. Mint is expected to produce 300+ million Anna May Wong quarters, which should be in wide circulation by the end of the year.
Anna May Wong is the fifth, and final female icon to be honored by the American Women’s Quarter Program. The other four women were astronaut Sally Ride, politician Nina Otero-Warren, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller and poet Maya Angelou.
Regarded as Hollywood’s first Asian American actress, Anna May Wong’s career spanned from 1919 to her untimely death in 1961. Wong was widely known for her roles in silent film, television, stage, radio and sound films. Wong was a champion for Asian Americans and the need for Asian women in films. In the early 20th century, Wong struggled to find a place in film roles due to anti-miscegenation laws and racial stereotypes of Asians. Anna May Wong was underpaid and received significantly less than her counterparts in films which she starred in. The disparity among white actors and those of Asian descent was shocking to say the least.
After experiencing years of unfair disparity and racism, Wong moved to Europe in 1928 to star in English and German films before returning to Hollywood in November of 1930. From 1930 to her death, Anna May Wong starred in dozens of films while advocating for the equal rights of women and Asian women in film and television.
Set to be distributed on Monday by the U.S. Mint, the tail side of the quarter will show Anna May Wong with her head resting on her hand, and the flip side will feature a portrait of George Washington.
