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Museum object · Slavery and Freedom Objects

Danish Free Black Citizenship Commemorative Medal

April 18, 1834

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

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

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.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2018.112.2

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