A few tidbits about the 1951-54 George W Carver - Booker T Washington Half Dollar...Tidbit #1A draft of the Senate version of the bill/amendment for the George W Carver - Booker T Washington half dollar was initially written to divide its sales proceeds as follows: 50 cents to cover the cost/face value of each coin, $1.00 to the Carver-Washington Foundation Coin Commission (for its anti-communism programs among African-Americans) and 50 cents to the Redemptionist Fathers of the Catholic Church (for its work with African-Americans). The coins were to sell for $2.00 each.
Recognizing the potential issues the proposed coin could face in Congress over the religious connection, Senator Burnet R. Maybank (D-SC), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking and Currency, wrote to Sidney J. Phillips Chairman of the Carver-Washington Coin Commission:
"I have had the Committee staff prepare a bill to amend the Booker T. Washington Commemorative Coin Act along the lines suggested by your organization.
"However, upon further consideration of the proposal, my judgment is that such an amendment would fail of passage unless it provided that the entire additional proceeds from the coins issued under the Act, as amended, are to be used for the one purpose of opposing the spread of communism among Negroes."The Senate bill was not the one approved in Congress, however, the House version (which also included the "opposing the spread of communism" language) was the one that advanced and was signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on September 21, 1951.
Tidbit #2In early January 1952, Sidney J. Phillips distributed one of his many coin-related promotional releases; it was picked up by multiple newspapers. The primary subject of the piece was the new George Washington Carver - Booker T Washington half dollar. He noted that on January 5 - National Carver Day [the anniversary of Carver's birth] - the new coin would be available for purchase and represent an opportunity to pay tribute "to one of the the greatest scientists this nation [the US] has ever produced."
Phillips stated that "The premium above face value (50c) will be shared with local charitable organizations and churches." The local cooperation effort was described as being in the "true spirit of helpfulnesss towards others" and that it was "carrying out the finest traditions of both George Washington Carver and Booker T Washington. We are sure they would have wanted it that way." (The coins were to be sold for $2.00 each.)
Presumably, the "local charitable organizations and churches" would use funds received to help the Carver-Washington Coin Commission oppose the spread of communism, as per the coin's approved legislation.
For more about National Carver Day and the coin, see:
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1951-54 George W Carver, Booker T Washington - National Carver DayTidbit #3Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a syndicated newspaper column that ran six days a week between December 31, 1935 and September 26, 1962 (in 1961 she changed the frequency to three times per week). Women's rights, civil rights, World War II and international peace were all among the topics she covered.
In September 1952, she turned her attention to the George Washington Carver - Booker T Washington half dollar. She noted how Sydney J. Phillips stepped in to help preserve the birthplace of George Washington Carver in Diamond, Missouri by convincing the United States ("US") Congress to appropriate $150,000 to be used to finance the Carver birthplace purchase and address other related expenses.
Ms. Roosevelt simplified the connection between the birthplace property, Congress' appropriation and the George Washington Carver - Booker T Washington half dollar, but there was an honest connection between them and she did promote the coin (though she didn't provide a direct contact address for coin orders).
For more details regarding the Carver Birthplace and the US Congress, see:
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1951-54 George W Carver, Booker T Washington - G W C National MonumentTidbit #4In early December 1953, Sidney J. Phillips announced that 50% of the net proceeds of sales of the George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington half dollar would be donated to the American Cancer Society to help fund its research into curing cancer. The move was approvd by the George Washington Carver-Booker T Washington Foundation. It was a promotional tactic to invigorate coin sales as the "fighting the spread of communism" objective was not as strong of a sales message as had been hoped.
Phillips urged the public to "Give a Christmas gift with a purpose." He noted that the $1.50 per coin that was paid in excess of its face value (the coins sold for $2.00) was tax deductible.
1951 George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Half Dollar
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more 'Tidbits' stories, see:
Commems Collection 
Posted Today 2H 20M ago
