Famous writer gets a coin - 31st January 2022

Maya Angelou is making history. She was a famous American writer. Now she is the first Black woman on the 25 cent coin – the 'quarter'.

Angelou wrote over 30 famous books. She wrote about her life and racism. Angelou died in 2014. She was 86 years old.

She read a poem when Bill Clinton became US president. She was the first Black person to do this. In 2010, she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The new quarter shows Angelou with her arms open. Behind her, a bird is flying, and the sun is shining. These ideas come from Angelou's life and her books. Other new quarters will have important American women on them too.

Women aren't often on US money. Janet Yellen is head of the US Treasury. She says coins are a "chance to say something about our country". People want to see women on US banknotes too.