May 28, 2008
Vote Online for Your D.C. Quarter Preference
The city opened up online voting for residents to choose their preferred design for the official District of Columbia quarter at the end of last week. You can vote for your preference between the three proposed designs, which depict Frederick Douglass, Duke Ellington and Benjamin Banneker, at this web site, with voting open between now and June 18.
The U.S. Mint's Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee recommended earlier this month to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that the Banneker design was their preferred choice, but D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has been pushing to make sure the will of District residents is taken into account in Paulson's decision. You may also vote by calling (202) 727-5448, or mail your preference to DC Quarter, Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 419, Washington, DC 20004.
The actual online ballot says the voting is restricted to District residents only, but then merely asks you to select your zip code as proof, so theoretically non-residents can add their two cents with only the smallest amount of deception -- not that we'd encourage that kind of thing.
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This is too easy. The guy who helped free the slaves vs. the guy who helped survey DC vs. It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got that Swing. I think you know how I'm voting. Shame they didn't include Billy Strayhorn in the pic, but it still beats that Pentagon/9-11/goatse mashup.
I had to go with Banneker. All are good choices, but it seems like his contribution was the most DC-specific. Besides, Duke Ellington already has a pretty nice bridge named after him, and Frederick Douglass is no slouch either.
Go Duke go!
I have to agree with freshyill. Douglass and Ellington lived here -- Banneker helped create DC.
As RJ said earlier this month, "it looks like someone just walked in on Mr Douglass surfing for porn, the 18th century way." And I can't unsee it. I feel this is actually a reason in favor of the Douglass quarter design. I'm not sure what that says about me.
I am personally disappointed that my suggestion of having overweight tourists with fanny-packs standing on the left side of the Metro escalator wasn't chosen as a finalist. I think that is most representative of Washington. So I am abstaining.
Here's the thing: Banneker really didn't do much to create DC. The main surveyor was Andrew Ellicott of MD. He and his brothers were doing the surveying of the District boundaries. They got other projects and so hired Banneker to assist with the surveys. Banneker was part of the surveying project for about 2 or 3 months before he left and went back to his home in MD.
Now, there's a lovely legend that after L'Enfant quit in a huff, that Washington and Ellicott had to rely on Banneker's excellent memory to re-create L'Enfant's plans for the layout of the city. But that's simply not true. There were several versions of L'Enfant's plans that had been circulated. Jefferson hated the plans b/c he thought L'Enfant was creating a European-style capital, rather than Jefferson's preferred small-scale part-time capital village.
None of this is to say that Banneker wasn't an incredibly extraordinary man. He was a brilliant astronomer and mechanical engineer -- all completely self-taught. His almanac was the first of its kind to be published by a black man. And he served as a great counterpoint to Jefferson and other Southerners' views that blacks were mentally inferior to whites.
But Banneker had very little connection to DC. He was born and raised in MD. He lived all his life in MD, except for the few months he spent surveying some of the District boundaries. After he was done, he went back to his home in MD.
I think the strong feelings in support of Banneker have to do with legend that is desired to be true, rather than actual historical fact. If Banneker's two or three month stay in the District's border areas is sufficient for him to be on the quarter, shouldn't that mean that L'Enfant and Ellicott are much better options since they actually spent large amounts of time designing and living in the District? Or are they not contenders b/c they're the wrong skin color?
Why can't we have Duke on one side and Chuck Brown on the other?
Gimme the bridge, y'all!
oh. oh wow. thanks RJ, by way of voteprime. its true, and i quite like it. just that right look of stateliness trying to cover up being so busted. which is kinda what dc is about, when you think about it.
Seriously, why isn't Chuck Brown an option. From the Ellington narrative:
I mean, Jazz might have influenced DC music, but Go-Go is DC music!I think you have to be dead to be on the quarter, so I'm glad Chuck isn't an option. But we could put "wind me up, Chuck!" as the city motto, right?
As for me, I vote Marvin Gaye.
I'd argue that Chuck Brown's cover of "It Don't Mean a Thing" is actually better than Duke's original.
Drew in Admo - HI-Larious!
I've switched my vote to Madame Evanti. Much prettier than any of those gents (even the Duke)and deeper DC roots than any of them.
I love Chuck but he ain't dead. .. That's why my write in's are Marvin Gaye and L'Enfant. Both had more to do with the city then the three "official" party nominiees. Would any of you go for Root Boy Slim?
I'm on board with Madame Evanti. Since Cranky seems to rule out Banneker on residency requirements, wasn't Francis Scott Key a Georgetown resident?
Dear OldPosterKnownAsCranky:
You may be right - I don't know all of the details of the Banneker story. But even if you are, I'm sticking with Benjamin. As the ending of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" goes, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Let's see...
A musician, born here. Helped revolutionize popular music after settling in New York.
A scientist who spent his whole life in Baltimore. Hired to survey land here one time, but had to quit the job due to illness.
An activist, not from here but who settled here later in life. Called it his adopted hometown, held political office here. Oh yeah, also he helped free American slaves, changed the minds of thousands of people about race, and generally contributed to the fight for equal rights for all races, nationalities, and genders for his entire life. Among other things.
Oh yeah! And one of those people actually has something to do with the motto on the coin, "justice for all." Can you guess who?
i love how picking a zip code from a dropdown box on the survey proves that you're a DC resident.
Tough call between Douglass and Ellington for me. I went with the Duke.. just says 'DC' more than Douglass.
The election is a sham. The website does not have a fourth option called "None of the Above." Voters should have the option of showing their displeasure in the choices being offered by stating that they don't like any of the options they are being given. By only offering three options the "election" manufactures a forced selection.
you tell 'em, schiller. maybe we can get your quarter manufactured in the end. fight the power and what not.
"Justice for All" vs. "Sexual Healing"? I'm voting for sexual healing.