New York, NY (October 24, 2022) – Committee of 100, a non-profit leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today issued the following statement in celebration of Anna May Wong. Ms. Wong will be represented in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program, featuring quarters that will begin shipping today. Anna May Wong is the first Asian American to be featured on any form of official U.S. currency.
“We commend the U.S. Mint on the selection of Anna May Wong for its American Women Quarters Program,” said Zheng Huang, President, Committee of 100. “Asian Americans are Americans and a recognition like this is long overdue. For nearly two centuries, Chinese Americans and Asian Americans have contributed significantly to the arts and culture of America. This recognition for Anna May Wong is an important step for full inclusion and recognition.”
Yue-Sai Kan, an Emmy-winning TV producer and host, founder of Yue-Sai Kan Productions, and a member of Committee of 100 since 1990 stated “I regret that Anna May Wong isn’t alive today to see this wonderful recognition for her. However, perhaps by appearing on the U.S. quarter, it will yield a new level of interest and research in her career and a better understanding of the numerous challenges she faced of being an Asian American actress in the 1920s.”
Dr. Jay Xu, a Committee of 100 Member since 2010 and the Director and CEO of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco stated “For far too long, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community here in the United States has been marginalized, viewed as the perpetual foreigner and strangers in our own homeland. We are Americans and yet our history, contributions in arts and culture, and stories in the U.S. have not been fully told. I’m hopeful that this fantastic acknowledgment of Anna May Wong spurs further dialogue on Asian American, arts, and culture.”
Committee of 100 is in full support of the creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture, where contributions from Anna May Wong and thousands of artists like her can be visited, learned and shared. Read Committee of 100’s statement on this issue here.
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as the preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org/ or follow Committee of 100 on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information.
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Contact:
Charles Zinkowski
Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications
Committee of 100
czinkowski@committee100.org
