Object Details
- 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].
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Designed by
- Frederik Christopher Krohn, Danish, 1806 - 1883
- Subject of
- Frederick VI, Danish Norwegian, 1768 - 1839
- Date
- April 18, 1834
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David K. Hayes
- Medium
- silver
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 2 7/16 × 2 7/16 × 1/4 in. (6.2 × 6.2 × 0.7 cm)
- Type
- medals
