Maya Angelou, a native of St. Louis, was the first black woman to appear on the American stage

ST. LOUIS – Maya Angelou, native of St. Louis, was the first black woman to appear in American clothing. The US Mint is shipping new neighborhoods pioneered by five American women starting with Angelou, a renowned author, poet, entertainer, and activist.

Angelou’s birth name was Marguerite Johnson and she was born in a two-story brick house in St. Louis.

Peggy Lewis LeCompte, a former international official at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

“I remember in moments like that, you were just overwhelmed to see the real person in the flesh.”

Blueberry Hill’s owner, Joe Edwards, misses spending time with Angelou.

“She can do anything,” he said. “She could write poetry, write books, or teach at Wake Forest in North Carolina. She can act in Roots and it’s unbelievable. ”

The new quarter, released on Monday, features George Washington on one side and Angelou, the outspoken civil rights activist, on the other.

“It’s a beautiful quarter with her arms stretched out in a wing design on the back, and her name also on the quarter. And it’s a nice coin because she’s also a performer and an actress,” said Clay Teague, Numismatist Scotsman Coin & Jewelry researcher. “A very elegant woman who looks great on a quarter.”

LeCompte won’t forget to meet the larger-than-life Angelou, which made her mark on American history.

“This will remind us of what women have done,” she said. “How far have women come and how far have people come.”