Washington, DC/Los Angeles (October 19, 2022) – Anna May Wong, a trailblazer who earned fame in Hollywood as a huge talent in the 1920s and 30s, is being nationally recognized as she becomes the fifth woman featured on the U.S. quarter as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™ program.
To coincide with the release of the coin and to celebrate her legacy, the National Women’s History Museum(NWHM), along with the United States Mint and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, is hosting a special screening of the film Shanghai Express, starring Wong, at the iconic Paramount Pictures theater. A panel discussion featuring Anna Wong, niece to Anna May Wong, Nina Bongiovi, producer, Ventris Gibson, director of the U.S. Mint, NWHM, and others follows.
Anna May Wong, who is universally seen as the first Asian American movie star in the U.S., singlehandedly challenged the movie industry to redefine its concept of what constitutes a leading lady. Initially typecast in Hollywood, Wong took her talents to Europe, where she was welcomed. This pattern of resilience allowed her to pursue opportunities that paved the way to international success as an actress, singer, fashion icon, and businesswoman.
The National Women’s History Museum and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative serve as consultants to U.S. Mint for the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™. Designed to recognize the often unsung achievements and pivotal contributions women have made throughout the course of history, Wong joins fellow female icons Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, and Nina Otero-Warren with her likeness on the face of the quarter.
The Anna May Wong quarter is scheduled for release into general circulation on Oct. 24, 2022.
The special event to commemorate the release of the new coin will take place November 4, 2022 at Paramount Pictures, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Open to the public and free to attend. Registration is required.
