Whoopi Goldberg didn't mince her words when she said Maya Angelou deserves more than the quarter for her contributions to American literature. During Tuesday's episode of The View, the Academy Award winner discussed the recent news that Angelou is now the first woman immortalized on the U.S. quarter, telling her co-hosts that America could be doing better by the author.
“I want to point out that, not too long ago, we were expecting to have Harriet Tubman gracing the $20 bill, remember that?” Goldberg said, according to The Wrap.
“But now it looks like the price has been slashed to a quarter, because now we have Maya Angelou on a quarter. And having Maya anywhere is a magnificent thing. But come on, America! You don’t think this is gonna make folks feel a little bit uncomfortable? We were on a $20 bill and now you have all of these powerful women, and you put them all on quarters? Come on!” she added.
Maya Angelou quarters went into circulation on Monday
As Blavity previously reported, the U.S. Mint announced earlier this week that a collection of new quarters featuring Angelou's likeness went into circulation as part of its campaign to honor the legacy of American women. The move made her the first Black woman to be featured on the U.S. quarter, a major feat for the author and poet who died at the age of 86 in 2014.
“Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this historic coin program. Maya Angelou, featured on the reverse of this first coin in the series, used words to inspire and uplift," Ventris Gibson, the U.S. mint deputy director, said in the announcement.
Critics are displeased with the announcement
Amid praise and excitement from several U.S. representatives, including Rep. Barbara Lee, who introduced the legislation, there were several conversations on social media chastising members of Congress for not delivering on other important matters. One Twitter user accused officials of "performing in our face."
maya angelou being on a quarter ain’t doing shit about black women suffering the most from maternal mortality. they performing in our face. and the quarter ain’t even cute
— god tier hoochie ❤️???? (@_benjvmins_) January 12, 2022
"I find it real funny how we say we want voting rights, student loan cancelation, affordable housing, and defunded police and the government heard Maya Angelou on a quarter," another person wrote.
Others said that Angelou would be appearing on the back of a coin that featured George Washington, the first U.S. president and a known slave owner.
"Maya Angelou’s image is on the back of a coin that still features a slaveowner on the front. Huh," a Boston Globe columnist said.
