A final look at the Sidney J. Phillips's article that appeared in
The Tribune (Roanoke, VA) in January 1955 that was titled "Facts and Accomplishments of Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial." In these items, he discusses the George Washington Carver - Booker T. Washington half dollar and the artist selected to design the coins.
George Washington Carver
1951-54 George Washington Carver-Booker T. Washington Half Dollar
27. Established the George Washington Carver National Monument Foundation as an agency to promote a program from the birthplace of Dr. Carver.
The program of the George Washington Carver National Monument Foundation was built along the same lines as that of the Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial, and was resigned to supplement and cooperate in the general job of establishing a service memorial at the birthplace of Booker T. Washington.
28. Promoted the sales of the Booker T. Washington and the Booker T. Washington-George Washington Carver Commemorative half dollars throughout the nation. The promotion of the sales of the Carver-Washington half dollars was perhaps the most difficult job of the Memorial's undertakings. The public was not enthusiastic over paying a premium on a coin whose intrinsic value was definitely set at fifty cents. Because the selling job was hard and widely scattered, sales forces had to be offered greater commission incentives than are generally approved for fund raising bodies. This meant that the cooperation of national advertisers could not be secured in publicizing the coin. It also meant that some criticism was inevitable - yet the coin had to be sold.
...
48. Gave Mr. Isaac Scott Hathaway an opportunity to be the first Negro sculptor to design a coin for the United States.
Isaac Scott Hathaway
Prior to the coinage of these two half dollars, the Fine Arts Commission which is responsible for the selection and production of the designs for all American currency, had never taken into consideration the work or ability of Negro sculptors. This commission was assigned the job of producing or approving a design for these two commemorative half dollars. Mr. Isaac Scott Hathaway solicited the permission of S. J. Phillips, President of the Memorial, to make a design for the coins. The memorial accepted the responsibility of paying Mr. Hathaway for his efforts and gave him permission to go ahead and make the design for submission to the Fine Arts Commission. In the meantime the Commission appointed an already approved sculptor to make the design. Both men went to work -- and both submitted designs to the Commission. .Mr. Hathaway's model was approved for its fine workmanship -- and so became the first Negro sculptor to design a coin of United States currency."
1946 Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial Half Dollar
Charles Keck was the artist/sculptor - referenced by Phillips - who was appointed by the Commission to design and create the models for the BTW half dollar. His designs were accepted by Phillips and the Mint, but then Hathaway approached Phillips and offered to create the coin's models for free. Phillips instructed him to proceed, and eventually submitted Keck's and Hathaway's models to the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA). The CFA selected the Hathaway obverse, (his reverse needed to be redone) and the rest is history. Hathaway went on to prepare the designs/models for the GWC-BTW half dollar as well.
IMO, Hathaway's portraits of BTW and GWC on the BTW and following GWC-BTW half dollar are fine, but his execution of the latter's reverse is another matter entirely!
To check out the other items I've covered from Phillips' "Facts and Accomplishments" article, see:
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1946-51 Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial - The Bankruptcy-
1946-51 Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial - Ideals & National InterestFor other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Booker T. Washington Birthplace Memorial half dollar stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 09/08/2023 1:26 pm
. Especially if you are from the missing Delaware!
