The iconic Celia Cruz is about to make history! Get ready for the release of the U.S. quarter featuring the late Cuban American salsa singer and Afro-Latina icon. This quarter is a tribute to Cruz’s immense contributions to music and culture, and a reminder of her legacy that will live on forever.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the life and career of Celia Cruz, from her iconic hits to her legacy in the entertainment industry. We’ll also explore why the U.S. Mint chose to honor her on a quarter, and what it means for the public.
Celia Cruz was a beloved icon in Cuban music, best known for her anthem “¡Azúcar!” which translates to “sugar.” The saying later became an emblematic remembrance of enslaved Africans who worked on Cuban sugar plantations. She went on to record 37 albums in total, and while she mostly remained in the realm of music, Cruz also starred in films like 1992’s “The Mambo Kings.”
Cruz died in 2003 at the age of 77 from brain cancer. Before her death, salsa artists Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan hosted a tribute event called “¡Celia Cruz: Azúcar!,” which was Cruz’s final public performance. The event featured musical performances by Victor Manuelle, Paulina Rubio, Patti LaBelle and Gloria Gaynor, to name a few.
The move to commemorate the singer on a quarter comes as part of the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program for 2024, which also included bids for four other honorees: Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color to serve in Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War surgeon and suffragist; Pauli Murray, a civil rights activist and lawyer; and Zitkala-Ša, a voting rights activist.
The designs for the 2024 American Women Quarters will be released in mid-2023, and it’s sure to be an exciting moment for fans of Celia Cruz. Her legacy will live on in the form of this quarter, and it’s a fitting tribute to a remarkable artist and icon.
So get ready to celebrate the life and legacy of Celia Cruz with the release of the U.S. quarter honoring her! This is an important moment for the Latinx community, and a reminder of the power of music and art to inspire and bring people together.
Source: variety.com
