Blacks on US Currency Exhibit at Museum of American Finance

On Wednesday, February 22, the Museum of American Finance will open “For the Love of Money: Blacks on US Currency,” a traveling exhibit on loan from the Museum of UnCut Funk.

To be featured on currency is among the nation’s highest honors. The Treasury’s latest redesign – which will feature Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill beginning in 2020 – will acknowledge for the first time on paper money the contributions of Black and women’s rights activists in advancing American democracy. There is a longer tradition of honoring such leaders through the creation of commemorative coins, medals and medallions.

Through legislation, Congress has chosen to honor on US commemorative currency Black icons, seminal historic events and institutions which have significantly influenced American and Black history.

“For the Love of Money” honors barrier breaking Black athletes, entertainers, civil rights leaders, military leaders and politicians, and it features the historic contributions of several prominent Black women. The exhibit showcases more than 40 anti-slavery tokens, commemorative coins, concept coins, commemorative bronze medals, Presidential bronze medals and commemorative medallions representing American and Black history milestones that have contributed to the betterment of the United States. Additional coins and medals will be added to the exhibit as they are released in 2017.

More information can be found here. This exhibit will be on view through January 2018.

For more information on the Museum of American Finance, visit their website.

Photo: Martin Luther King Coretta Scott King Bronze Medal, courtesy Museum of American Finance.