American Women Quarters 2024 Rolls and Bags – Zitkala-Ša

The American Women Quarters celebrate a remarkable array of notable American women who have made significant contributions across various fields, including suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored in this series represent a rich tapestry of ethnic, racial, and geographical diversity.

Among them is Zitkala-Ša, also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, a trailblazing writer, composer, educator, and political activist who fought for Native American rights and citizenship in the early 20th century. Zitkala-Ša fiercely opposed the erasure of indigenous culture through forced assimilation, having experienced this herself when she was made to abandon her Native American customs for an education. Her advocacy was instrumental in the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, which granted American Indians U.S. citizenship while allowing them to retain their tribal standing.

The reverse of the quarter depicts Zitkala-Ša adorned in traditional Yankton Sioux dress, holding a book that symbolizes her dual role as an author and a passionate advocate for Native American rights. Behind her, a stylized sun represents her work on The Sun Dance Opera, while a cardinal reflects her name, which translates to “Red Bird.” Below the sun, a diamond pattern inspired by Yankton Sioux art adds further cultural significance. The inscriptions include “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “AUTHOR,” “ACTIVIST,” “COMPOSER,” “25 CENTS,” and “ZITKALA-ŠA.”

The common obverse features a portrait of George Washington, originally designed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, commemorating the bicentennial of Washington’s birth. The inscriptions on this side read “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2024.”

Celebrate the courage and achievements of these extraordinary women who have sparked historic change by starting or adding to your collection of the new American Women Quarters.