Maya Angelou’s Son Applauds Whoopi Goldberg for Suggesting Black Leaders Be Added to Dollars Instead of Coins

Whoopi Goldberg was happy to see Maya Angelou added to the U.S. quarter. But she also wonders why there aren’t any Black people on paper money.

After Maya Angelou’s quarter was recently unveiled, Whoopi spoke about it on The View’s Jan. 11th episode. The actor/comedian took issue with Angelou only being added to a coin rather than a higher currency, The Independent reports.

“I want to point out that, not too long ago, we were expecting to have Harriet Tubman gracing the $20 bill, remember that?” she said. “But now it looks like the price has been slashed to a quarter, because now we have Maya Angelou on a quarter.”

“And having Maya anywhere is a magnificent thing,” Goldberg noted. “But come on, America! You don’t think this is gonna make folks feel a little bit uncomfortable? We were on a $20 bill and now you have all of these powerful women, and you put them all on quarters? Come on!”

When the new quarter went into circulation on Jab.10, Angelou became the first Black woman to appear on the currency. But even the late renowned poet’s son agrees with Whoopi about the seemingly obvious snub.

Guy Johnson told TMZ that he is grateful to have his mother’s image reflected in the U.S. quarter. He even approved the final image showing the “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” writer spreading her arms with a bird.

But Johnson agrees that it would be nice to see his mother added on the $10 bill, or the $20 or the $100. He also wants to see investigative journalist and civil rights pioneer Ida B. Wells honored as well.

Johnson knows his mother would be honored by her quarter and feels the image used reflects her spirit. He says his late mother would respond to the debate with a message to “keep pressing forward, because there’s a path to go before justice is applied equally in America.”