Commems Collection Medals: Martin Luther King Memorial Medal

In February 1996, Don Young (R-AK) introduced the "Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996" bill in the United States ("US") House of Representatives ("House"). Within the lengthy, multi-purpose bill were provisions for the establishment of a Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in or around Washington, DC. Specifically, the bill gave authority to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to establish such Memorial.

Note: King was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity while attending Boston University as a graduate student; he joined in 1952. King was at Boston University pursuing his doctorate in Systemic Theology (earned in 1955). The Fraternity has long been an active supporter of King.

The bill became Public Law 104-333 in November 1996. Construction of the Memorial did not begin immediately - designs had to be created and approved, the Memorial site needed to be prepared and funding needed to be secured. The Memorial's official groundbreaking took place in November 2006. Construction of the Memorial on the National Mall (near the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials) began in December 2009.

The Memorial was completed and opened to the public in late August 2011, with its official dedication taking place in October 2011 (after being postponed from August due to Hurricane Irene).

The medal presented here was NOT struck by the US Mint. It is a privately-produced medal (by Commemoratives LLC (of Virginia) now known as Celebrating America LLC) and, to my knowledge, the piece is not an "Official" medal of the Memorial.

I have not been able to determine an exact mintage for the piece, but it does not appear to be large as the medal is not particularly common in the marketplace; I would estimate 5,000 or fewer. Based on the text included on the medal's folder - i.e., references to the "past" design approval date and "future" Memorial dedication date - it seems plausible that the medal was struck/issued between 2005 and 2011; with a 2011 date seeming most likely based on the listed Copyright notice of 2011 and dedication details. (If I am successful in gathering additional details about the piece, I will share them in an Addendum to this post.)

Note: The initials "DE" are found on the medal; I have confirmed that they are not the initials of Don Everhart, the former artist/designer of the US Mint.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Medal Folder - Front


Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Medal Folder - Interior/Left


Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Medal Folder - Interior/Rightt


Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Medal Folder - Back



I've written before about the unsuccessful attempts to secure a US commemorative coin in honor of Dr, King, you can read them here: What If? 2003 Martin Luther King, Jr..


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, see: Commems Collection