Letter
Dear Ms. Gibson:
In its public meeting of 19 January conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed alternative designs for a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the Harlem Hellfighters, a U.S. Army unit of Black soldiers that fought with French forces during World War I. The Commission provided the following comments and recommendations.
For the obverse, the Commission members recommended alternative O-04 as an outstanding composition, consistent with the preference of the Mint’s liaisons. For the reverse, they recommended alternative R-03, with the following refinements. They cited the importance of including the Croix de Guerre, a medal awarded by the French government, and recommended depicting it with a suspension ribbon as shown in alternative R-02. They also recommended using the 48-star version of the U.S. flag, as it existed during World War I. They emphasized that the inclusion of a musical instrument, as shown in alternative R-03, is important in conveying the notable cultural contributions of the Harlem Hellfighters, extending beyond their distinguished military service; they observed that the liaisons’ preferred reverse, R- 02, does not include a musical reference. Noting the complexity of alternative R-03, they suggested consideration of omitting the phrase “Let’s Go Rattlers,” instead relying on the unit’s emblem, featuring a rattlesnake, to convey the group’s nickname. If the names of the battles need to be included as part of the medal’s design, they also expressed support for alternative R-08 with the addition of a Croix de Guerre medal, but they raised concerns with the flat character of the flags in this composition.
As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Ventris C. Gibson, Director
United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220