Albany’s Henry Johnson Coin Design Contest (The New York History Blog)

Originally appeared on New York History Blog.

Ferris Coin Co. is seeking artists to design a silver coin-shaped medallion honoring Albany African American World War I hero Sgt. Henry Johnson.

Ferris Coin Co. is offering two prizes of $1,000 each to the winning designs for the obverse and reverse sides of a 1.5 in (39 mm) coin-shaped silver medallion. The deadline for submissions is April 17, 2018.

On June 5, 1917, Albany resident Henry Johnson enlisted in the first African American unit in the U.S. Army to engage in combat in World War I.  In May 1918 Johnson helped fight off a German raid in hand-to-hand combat, saving the life of a fellow soldier. For his bravery, Johnson received France’s highest award for valor, becoming the first American to receive this distinction. Sgt. Johnson returned to Albany in 1919. Despite having been wounded 21 times, he received no honors from his home country and no pension. He died, destitute, in 1929, in his mid-30s. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Sgt. Henry Johnson was finally recognized by the United States government for his service to his country when he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in 1996 and the Distinguished Service Cross in 2002. In 2015 he was awarded the National Medal of Honor – the nation’s highest military honor – by President Barack Obama.

Though this contest is not affiliated with the U.S. Mint in any way, it is modeled after the mint’s long-standing tradition of coin design competitions to recognize important figures and events in the nation’s history.

The obverse, or front, of the coin-shaped medallion should feature an accurate likeness of Sgt. Henry Johnson based on historical photographs in the public domain and should feature the following inscriptions: “Sgt. Henry Johnson,” “Enlisted 05 JUN 1917” and “Albany, NY.” The design for the reverse side of the medallion is more open to artistic expression; according to the guidelines, artists should clearly and creatively interpret concepts such as duty, honor, sacrifice or civic responsibility. Artists are further encouraged to symbolize a connection between Johnson’s commitment to duty and the civic duty each of us shares today in order to inspire forward thinking about our own community involvement.

The submission deadline is April 17. Contestants must be 18 or older to qualify. For official rules, design requirements, and answers to frequently asked questions, click here.

Entries will be evaluated by an expert jury composed of esteemed professional artists and a representative of the 369th Veteran’s Association. No identifying information will be included in the submission materials presented to the jury.

Five hundred silver coin-shaped medallions will be available for purchase this summer. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the 369th Veteran’s Association Inc., Albany District, a 501(c)3.

On June 5, 2018, the City of Albany will celebrate its second annual Henry Johnson Day, marked by a ceremony that includes the bestowing of the Henry Johnson Award for Distinguished Community Service.

The new Henry Johnson coin-shaped medallion will be granted as part of the award. Through the Distinguished Community Service Award contest, members of the community nominate their peers who have made outstanding contributions to the community in the areas of arts and history, social justice, education, or community organizing. The purpose of the award is to recognize an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty but has not received formal recognition or public thanks for their actions.

Ferris Coin Co. will donate 10 silver medallions to be presented to the winners of the Henry Johnson Award for the next decade.

Ferris Coin Co. plans to premiere the silver coin-shaped Sgt. Henry Johnson medallions at its 199 Wolf Road location this June, the exact date to be determined.

For more information about Ferris Coin or the contest, visit their website, or email contest@FerrisCoin.com.