The Trump administration has canceled plans to feature civil rights pioneer Ruby Bridges and abolitionist Frederick Douglass on commemorative coins marking the United States’ 250th anniversary.
According to the New York Times, the proposal was quietly scrapped in the weeks leading up to a Philadelphia ceremony held to publicly unveil the Semiquincetennial Coin Program.
The final designs for the commemorative coins highlight a narrower group of historical figures and symbols, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and James Madison, along with an idealized Pilgrim couple meant to represent the Mayflower Compact. The imagery will appear on quarters, dimes, and half dollars minted throughout 2026.
Critics say the shift from featuring Bridges and Douglass reflects a deliberate move away from histories that acknowledge struggles for racial and gender equality.
“This is not just about design choices,” one historian said, “but about which stories are deemed worthy of national recognition.”
When asked about the redesign, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach told Fox News that while the Biden administration prioritized diversity in its approach, the Trump administration is focused on “prosperity and patriotism.”
According to the Washington Post, administration officials have also discussed minting a separate $1 coin featuring Trump, potentially depicting him with a raised fist and the words “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!” The move would mark a break in long-standing U.S. tradition. American leaders since Washington have avoided placing living presidents on currency to prevent associations with monarchy.
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