On August 7, 1946 President Harry S. Truman authorized a commission by the U.S. Mint of a fifty cent piece “to commemorate the life and perpetuate the ideas and teachings of Booker T. Washington. Isaac Hathaway was chosen as the designer of the Booker T. Washington coin, thus becoming the first African-American to design a U.S. coin. He was also chosen as the designer of the George Washington Carver commemorative fifty cent piece in 1951.
danetteoneal1
Danette O'Neal, PhD 