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- By Native News Online Staff
To commemorate the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, the U.S. Mint will use Native American citizenship as the theme of the 2024 Native American $1 coin.
The U.S. Mint annually releases a Native American coin that celebrate the contributions made by American Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States. The Mint issues one new reverse design each year. The program is authorized by the Native American $1 Coin Act (Public Law 110-82).
The 2024 Native American coin was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill. The coin’s reverse shows an eagle staff, an American Indian symbol of respect, honor, and patriotism, together with an American flag to represent the dual citizenship of Native Americans.
Around the image are inscriptions of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, $1, and INDIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT OF 1924.
Background
On June 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act, which stated “all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby declared to be, citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.”
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The Act notably did not require American Indians to give up their tribal citizenship to become U.S. citizens, allowing individual Indian people to preserve their tribal identity and their right to communal tribal property.
Not only did the Act give American Indians the rights and protections afforded to citizens of the United States, it added to the diversity of thought and culture of our nation by unlocking the doors for Indians to become citizens of the United States on their own terms.
Release Date
The 2024 commemorative coins will be available for order on January 29, 2024.
Options will include 25-coin rolls, 100-coin bags, and 250-coin boxes containing circulating-quality dollars produced at U.S. Mint production facilities in Denver and Philadelphia.
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