About a month ago, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, one of jazz's most influential pioneers, became the first African American to appear on a US coin. Duke Ellington, along with his piano, will appear on the Washington D.C. quarter〜♪
The final three choices were Duke Ellington, Frederick Douglass and Benjamin Banneker♪ Out of these three great African Americans, I feel like Duke Ellington was a safe pick for them to avoid some conflicts since many people recognize him as a Jazz legend rather than an activist...
However, he is not actually the first African American to be on the US coin, The real first African-American to appear on a circulating coin was York, a slave who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their "Corps of Discovery" adventures across America at the dawn of the 19th century. The 2003 Missouri quarter features the three men together in a canoe on the obverse. Obviously York didn't get any props like he deserved...
>>> More Photos〜☆
