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Duke Ellington coin is a bit odd
“Jazz musician Duke Ellington has become the first black American to be prominently featured on a U.S. coin in circulation with the release of a quarter honoring the District of Columbia.
U.S. Mint and D.C. officials celebrated the release of the coin Tuesday during a ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
“Like many great Americans who succeed in what they love doing, Duke Ellington was equal parts talent, hard work, passion and perseverance,” U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy said.
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born and raised in Washington. He and other black music legends, such as Ella Fitzgerald, helped establish the city’s U Street as an entertainment corridor…
The coin with Ellington resting his elbow on a piano was officially released Jan. 26, but officials took time Tuesday to hand out some of the “mint condition” quarters to D.C. schoolchildren
“With Duke on the coin, we are sending an important message to the world that D.C. is a lot more than a government town,” D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton said.” (AP)
This is truly a momentous time. I am overjoyed with the evolution of our country and frankly – it’s about time! But I do want to highlight some information which I found to be a bit odd:
Do you know who he beat out for the coin? Frederick Douglass. Here is a quick biography of Frederick Douglass for those who don’t know:
“Frederick Douglass was one of the foremost leaders of the abolitionist movement, which fought to end slavery within the United States in the decades prior to the Civil War.
A brilliant speaker, Douglass was asked by the American Anti-Slavery Society to engage in a tour of lectures, and so became recognized as one of America’s first great black speakers. He won world fame when his autobiography was publicized in 1845. Two years later he began publishing an antislavery paper called the North Star.
Douglass served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for blacks. Douglass provided a powerful voice for human rights during this period of American history and is still revered today for his contributions against racial injustice.” (source)
Not that I have anything against Duke Ellington, but wouldn’t it seem much more fitting/symbolic to have one of the foremost leaders in the fight for equality among races be the first African American on U.S. currency? Frankly I am surprised that it took this long to have a prominent black man featured on our money, but now that that is changing is Duke Ellington really the right guy to go first? I mean is it just me or does it seem like they are missing the point through a statement like: “With Duke on the coin, we are sending an important message to the world that D.C. is a lot more than a government town.”? Shouldn’t the point of the first African American on a coin be to celebrate the change in history and the newfound diversity of America, not to advertise the little-known diversity of Washington D.C.’s nightlife? This coin at certain point seems to be a plot to increase tourism, or housing, in the area by advertising how cool Washington D.C. actually is.
Oh and by the way, the phrase on the coin reads:
“Justice for All”
Classic.
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Duke Ellington was actually selected based on a popular vote by DC Residents.
It was 33% voting for Frederick Douglas, 31% voting for Benjamin Banneker, and 36% voting for Duke Ellington.