By Jill Westeyn
February 29, 2024
On February 24, 2024, the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson and members of the United States Mint participated in the 2nd Annual Black History Fest at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia, Maryland. Themed “Reaching Beyond Limitations,” the celebration featured local youth, talent, Black-owned local businesses, and community leaders sharing experiences and lessons learned at the free, family-friendly observance in recognition of Black History Month.
Serving as the keynote speaker for the event, Director Gibson stated, “Black history is American history.” On display in the auditorium were posters featuring the designs of coins from the 2024 Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Program.
Director Gibson spoke to the bravery and perseverance of Maryland native Harriet Tubman and the significance of this historic coin program. The director also spoke about representation on coins in the American Women Quarters™ Program, citing Black honorees such as Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray – another Maryland native.
In an adjacent room, the Mint displayed the three coins from the 2024 Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Program in addition to other products currently available at usmint.gov. Members of the Sales and Marketing team passed out literature and answered questions posed by attendees. Each person who stopped by the Mint table received a circulating 2024 Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray Quarter.
The 2024 Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Program celebrates the bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth. Coin prices include surcharges of $35 for each $5 gold coin, $10 for each silver dollar, and $5 for each clad half dollar. Public Law 117-163 authorizes the surcharges to be paid to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., in Auburn, New York to advance their missions.
Title taken from a Harriet Tubman excerpt quoted by Sarah Hopkins Bradford in 1869.
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