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Danish Free Black Citizenship Commemorative Medal

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Designed by

    Frederik Christopher Krohn, Danish, 1806 - 1883

    Subject of

    Frederick VI, Danish Norwegian, 1768 - 1839

    Description

    A Danish Free Black Citizenship Commemorative Medal, issued by the Free Blacks of Saint Thomas, to commemorate the royal edict passed by Frederick VI on April 18, 1834. The medal is round, and bronze toned. The obverse of the medal is edged with thin a concentric circle. In the center of the medal is a relief Romanized portrait of a bust of Frederick VI. Frederick VI is depicted in profile, wearing a laurel wreath on his head, and facing the right edge of the medal. His head is crowned by relief text that reads, [FREDERICUS VI REX DANIÆ]. Below Frederick VI is small relief text that reads [INCOLÆ LIBERI COLORATI INSULAR. DAN. IN IND. OCC./ IN CIVITATEM RECEPTI PATRI PATRIE ERATI FAC. CVR.]. The artist mark [F. KROHN K] is printed in relief text on the underside of the neck of the bust. The reverse of the medal is edged with double concentric circles. A relief depiction of Dania as Justice holding a staff in her proper right hand and scales in her proper left hand. She is draped in a traditional toga and is standing astride a sleeping lion. She rests her proper right foot on a shield emblazoned with a cross. Relief text printed on either side of the figure reads [ÆQUITAS] on the left and [AUGUSTI] on the right. Printed below the figure is the date [XVIII APR. MDCCCXXXIV].

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David K. Hayes

    Date

    April 18, 1834

    Object number

    2018.112.2

    Restrictions & Rights

    Public domain
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    medals

    Medium

    bronze

    Dimensions

    H x W x D: 2 7/16 × 2 7/16 × 1/4 in. (6.2 × 6.2 × 0.7 cm)

    Place used

    Virgin Islands of the United States, United States, North and Central America

    Place made

    Denmark, Europe

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Awards, Medals, and Insignia

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Antislavery
    Civil Rights
    Colonialism
    Dutch colonialism
    Free communities of color
    Freedom
    International affairs
    Ornamentation

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd55b283120-4e4d-4226-9112-d53a6d93dd82

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2018.112.2

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