On Monday, coin collectors will be able add a quarter to honor the Cherokee Nation’s first female chief chief.
The third quarter of the Wilma Mankiller coin is part of a U.S. Mint Program celebrating the achievements of prominent women in American History.
From 1985 to 1995, Mankiller was the leader of the Cherokee Nation. He is credited for increasing tribal enrollment and employment as well as reforming the tribe’s programs for housing, health, and children.
The portrait of President George Washington is found on one side of this quarter. On the other side, you will find the former chief wearing a traditional scarf. To her left, you’ll see the seven-pointed star representing the Cherokee Nation.
A launch event will take place at the Cherokee National History Museum in Tahlequah (Okla.) Monday morning. Some of the coins will then be available for purchase by the public.
Wilma Pearl Mankiller was a 1945 Tahlequah native. Mankiller is a Cherokee name that refers to a traditional Cherokee military rank such as a major or captain.
She told Fresh Air that she is a soft-spoken woman and that people have an idea of Mankiller’s personality. “But I don’t believe I fit their image.” “And I understand it’s an uncommon name so I, you can guess, I’m neither defensive nor offended by peoples’ reactions to it.”
Mankiller was the first woman to lead a major Native American country in the U.S., serving two years as deputy chief between 1983-1985 and then a decade as principal Chief.
According to The Wilma Mankiller Foundation, her leadership saw a triple-digit increase in tribe enrollment, a double-digit increase in employment, and the establishment of new housing, health centers, and programs for children.
She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1998. This is the highest civilian honor in America.
In 1979, Mankiller almost died in a serious car accident. The experience changed her life and led to a Cherokee way of life.
Mankiller stated that the Cherokee approach to life was to be able to move forward with a positive mind. He advised Fresh Air to not dwell on the negatives in life or the negative people around you. Instead, focus on the positive and look at the bigger picture.
“It also taught me how to see the bigger picture in life and not just the small stuff. It’s also very difficult to rattle me after facing my own mortality. So the lessons I learned from those experiences helped me become a leader. I doubt I would have been capable of leading without those experiences. I believe I would have been caught up in many nonsensical matters.”
