Polly Cooper, Oneida Heroine, Immortalized on 2026 U.S. Dollar Coin
The United States Mint has announced a significant new release in its Native American $1 Coin Program. The reverse side of the 2026 Sacagawea dollar coin will prominently feature Polly Cooper, a revered woman from the Oneida tribe. This commemorative coin recognizes her crucial role in supporting George Washington's Continental Army during the harsh winter at Valley Forge in the Revolutionary War. The timing of the release is deliberate, coinciding with nationwide celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
A Story of Compassion and Survival
Polly Cooper's story is one of remarkable courage and compassion. In 1778, during a dire food and supply crisis, Cooper joined a delegation of 47 Oneida warriors on a long, arduous trek from their territory in what is now central New York to the rebel troops' winter encampment in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. They carried vital bushels of white corn to feed the starving soldiers.
According to cherished Oneida oral tradition, Cooper played an even more critical role upon arrival. She intervened to prevent Washington's hungry soldiers from eating the white corn raw, which would have caused severe illness. Instead, she taught them how to properly prepare and cook hulled corn soup, providing not only sustenance but also essential knowledge for survival.
"Polly Cooper symbolizes courage that is not just found on the battlefield but in compassion and willingness to help others, which is just a part of Oneida culture and hospitality," said Ray Halbritter, a representative of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York.
Collaborative Coin Design and Historical Context
The coin's design, which Halbritter noted was developed in close collaboration between his community and the U.S. Mint, depicts Cooper offering a basket of corn to George Washington. The obverse side continues to feature Sacagawea, the young Native American woman who served as a crucial guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition.
This release is part of the ongoing Native American $1 Coin Program, established by an act of Congress in 2007 to honor individual Native Americans and their tribes. Previous coins in the series have featured notable figures such as Osage prima ballerina Maria Tallchief and Olympic champion Jim Thorpe of the Sac and Fox Nation, as well as landmark historical events like the signing of the 1778 treaty with the Delaware tribe.
Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, praised the program, stating it "highlights those who helped establish a country grounded in freedom and self-determination."
A Complex Legacy and Contemporary Reflections
The Oneida Indian Nation of New York proudly refers to itself as "America's first ally," having broken with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to support the Continental Army at great sacrifice. This alliance made the Oneida a target for retaliation by the British and other Haudenosaunee nations. Tragically, by the end of the Revolution, as much as one-third of the tribe's population had perished.
Dartmouth College professor Colin Calloway, an expert on Indigenous history during the revolutionary era, provides critical context. He notes that despite their alliance, the Oneida did not fare well in the long term. "In the long run, the Oneida don't fare any better than tribes that sided with the British," Calloway observed. He explained that a desire to separate Native people from their land was a driving force behind the American revolution, and millions of acres of Oneida territory were subsequently seized by the state of New York and private land speculators. This eventually led to the displacement of many Oneida to reservations in Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada.
Calloway also cautions that stories like Cooper's, similar to narratives around Sacagawea or the Wampanoag and pilgrims, can sometimes be co-opted to signify a "benign, reciprocal relationship" that never truly existed between American settlers and Indigenous peoples.
Commemoration Amid Broader Historical Recognition
The release of the Polly Cooper coin comes at a time when other commemorative coin designs previously authorized for the 250th anniversary have been scrapped. These included proposed coins featuring suffragettes who fought for women's right to vote and civil rights icon Ruby Bridges. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, which oversees the U.S. Mint, has not publicly commented on these decisions.
Despite the complex historical backdrop, the coin stands as a powerful tribute to what the Oneida people consider their pivotal role in the nation's struggle for independence. "The whole country reaps the benefit of Polly Cooper's conduct because we won the conflict and the United States was born," Halbritter affirmed. This new dollar coin ensures that Polly Cooper's legacy of courage, compassion, and cultural knowledge will be remembered and honored for generations to come.
