2024 - P and D Zitkala-Ša, American Women Quarter Series 2 Coin
- You will receive a Two Quarters one from each mint.
- P Mint is Philadelphia Mint.
- D Mint is Denver Mint.
- The Fifth 2024 Quarter in the American Women Quarter Program will feature Zitkala-Ša.
The reverse (tails) depicts Zitkala-Ša in traditional Yankton Sioux
dress. She is holding a book, which represents her work as an author as
well as her successful activism for Native American rights. Behind her, a
stylized sun represents her work on The Sun Dance Opera, while a
cardinal symbolizes her name, which translates to “Red Bird.” A Yankton
Sioux-inspired diamond pattern sits underneath the sun.
- The obverse depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally
composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s
200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter,
then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John
Flannigan design.
- This will be the 15th
quarter released as part of the United States Mint American Women Quarter Program.
- Find more in our Quarter Program Category.
Be among the first to get 2024 American Women Quarters celebrating Zitkala-Ša.
The 2024 Zitkala-Ša Quarter is the 15th coin in the American Women Quarters™ Program.
Zitkala-Ša was a writer, composer, educator, and political activist for
Native American rights. Her advocacy led to the passage of the Indian
Citizenship Act of 1924 which granted American Indians U.S. citizenship
while maintaining their tribal standing.
Zitkala-Ša (translated “Red Bird”) was born a member of the Yankton
Dakota Sioux on South Dakota’s Yankton Indian Reservation. She received
an education through a white missionary boarding school in Wabash,
Indiana that prohibited Native American customs and traditions.
She studied at Earlham College, where she won awards for her oratory
skills and began collecting and translating Native American oral
histories. She then trained as a violinist at the New England
Conservatory of Music and performed at the White House for President
William McKinley.
Zitkala-Ša was a gifted musician and violinist. She collaborated with
William F. Hanson on what is considered the first known American Indian
opera. Premiering in Utah in 1913, The Sun Dance Opera was centered on
the Sun Dance, a sacred Sioux ceremonial dance that was prohibited by
the U.S. government. She felt that the opera would be a powerful way to
share her values with diverse audiences.
Zitkala-Ša joined the Society of American Indians, a group focused on
preserving traditional Native American culture while also lobbying for
full American citizenship. She also lectured across the country,
promoting the preservation of Native American cultural and tribal
identities. In the 1920s, she was active in the General Federation of
Women’s Clubs, where she created the Indian Welfare Committee.
Zitkála-Ša and her husband co-founded the National Council of
American Indians in 1926, which continued to lobby for Native American
suffrage rights. She served as the council’s president, public speaker,
and major fundraiser, until her death.
Zitkala-Ša died on January 26, 1938, in Washington, DC. She is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with her husband.