The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 30, July 23, 2006, Article 17

AFRICAN-AMERICAN SIGNERS OF U.S. CURRENCY

Michele Orzano, Associate Editor of Coin World's Paper Money Values
writes: "In response to the request for information about whether
there were any other African American signers of American currency,
the answer is a resounding yes. In addition to Blanche Bruce, the
names of Judson W. Lyons, William T. Vernon, James C. Napier and Azie
Taylor Morton can be found on U.S. paper money.

There's a story about the four others in Volume 1, Number 1 of Coin
World's Paper Money Values magazine published in the fall of 2005.
There's actually five others but shortly after Louis B. Toomer was
appointed to the position of Register of the Treasury, the register's
signature was no longer used."

Julian Leidman forwarded the following list of African-American signers
and their dates of office, including National Bank Notes with known
African-American signers:

Registers of the Treasury
 Blanche K. Bruce 5/21/81-6/5/85 & 12/3/97-5/17/98
 Judson W. Lyons 4/7/98-4/1/06
 William T. Vernon 6/12/06-3/14/11
 James C. Napier 8/15/11-9/30/13

Treasurer of the US
 Azie Taylor Morton 9/12/77-1/20/81

Black Owned National Banks
 Douglas National Bank of Chicago (Charter #12227)
   11/4/21-5/21/32 large & small

 Dunbar National Bank of New York (Charter #13237)
   8/28-5/31/38 large & small

Benny Bolin writes: "As far as African American signers, James
Carroll Napier, register of the treasury from 3/15/1911-9/30/1913
and the first African American to preside over the Nashville city
council was a signer.  I know him best as an autographer of
fractional currency (see my article in the current issue of
Paper Money)."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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