Shutterstock.com (background); Bettmann Archive/Getty Images (Gibson, Low); Gado/Getty Images (Wells); Courtesy of the Milbern family (Milbern); Courtesy of Carnegie Institution for Science Archives (Rubin); U.S. Mint (quarters)

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Faces of Change

Five new quarters honor American women who made history.

As You Read, Think About: Which woman would you pick to be featured on a U.S. quarter?

Since 2022, more than 6 billion quarters have been made in the United States. Every one of them shows a female trailblazer on the back. The U.S. Mint is the government agency in charge of making coins. It is releasing the last five coins in the American Women Quarters Program this year. The series honors diverse women who have made an impact on sports, space exploration, entertainment, the fight for women’s rights, and more. 

Here’s a look at the women the Mint is honoring this year.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Juliette Gordon Low

Born: October 31, 1860

Died: January 17, 1927

In 1912, Low started the Girl Scouts of the USA. The Boy Scouts had been founded two years earlier. Low thought girls should have their own space to have fun and help their communities. She also wanted girls to learn skills that would help them become strong leaders. 

The Girl Scouts started with a gathering of 18 kids in Savannah, Georgia, but has grown into a global organization. Today there are Girl Scouts in more than 90 countries.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

Althea Gibson

Born: August 25, 1927

Died: September 28, 2003

Gibson was the first Black tennis star, male or female. During her career, she won five singles titles at tennis’s biggest tournaments, called Grand Slams. Gibson led the way for future Black tennis stars, including Serena Williams and Coco Gauff.

Gibson’s sports career didn’t end after she retired from tennis. In 1963, she became the first Black golfer in the Ladies Professional Golf Association. 

Gado/Getty Images

Ida B. Wells

Born: July 16, 1862 

Died: March 25, 1931

Wells was born into slavery. Still, she went on to become one of the most important journalists of the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

At the time, it was common for Black people in the South to be killed because of their skin color. Wells risked her life to report about the crimes. In 1892, a mob burned down her newspaper’s office. But Wells didn’t let threats stop her from standing up for people.

Courtesy of Carnegie Institution for Science Archives

Vera Rubin

Born: July 23, 1928

Died: December 25, 2016

Growing up, Rubin loved staring at the night sky. Her father helped her build her first telescope. But when she became an astronomer in the late 1940s, not everyone was so supportive. At the time, there were few female scientists. Rubin’s research was often overlooked.

But Rubin would make her mark. In the 1960s, she studied dozens of galaxies and helped prove the existence of dark matter. That’s an invisible substance that makes up more than 80 percent of the universe. It acts as a glue that holds the universe together.

Courtesy of the Milbern family

Stacey Park Milbern

Born: May 19, 1987

Died: May 19, 2020

Milbern was born with muscular dystrophy. That’s a disorder that weakens muscles over time. She began using a wheelchair in middle school.

In her teens, Milbern became a disability rights advocate. In 2007, she helped get a law passed in North Carolina. It requires public schools to teach about disability history.

Milbern spent her life fighting for people with disabilities. She is the first Korean American to appear on U.S. money. 

1. What is the purpose of the American Women Quarters Program?

2. According to the article, how did Ida B. Wells risk her life in her work as a journalist?

3. Choose two of the women featured in the article. Describe one way they or their experiences are similar and one way they are different.

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