Coins Honor Black History Month

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has released a new coin in honor of Black History Month. The coin pays homage to the No. 2 Construction Battalion and its contributions to Canada’s war efforts from 1916-1920.

The all-Black battalion is the largest in Canada’s history and faced racism and prejudice while assisting Canadian Forestry Corps lumber operations in France.

The obverse of the coin stays consistent with the others in the series, featuring Susanna Blunt’s effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II with the repeating maple leaves filling the background.

The reverse shows a member of the Battalion standing at attention in the center, with the No. 2 Construction Battalion badge on his left. Behind him on his right are more members shown marching. On the left in the background, the Jura region of France is depicted, with members are seen helping with the logging and lumber operations and building a railroad. The railroad on this coin symbolizes the journey and hardships endured by Black Canadian soldiers during the war.

Many Black Canadians attempted to enlist for the war in 1916 but were turned away because they were Black. When the need for more labor units became apparent, Canada authorized the creation of a segregated unit. The No. 2 Construction Battalion was eventually headquartered in Truro, Nova Scotia. By March 1917, the battalion had set sail for England. They were quickly sent to help with logging operations, transportation and railroad construction, water and power supply, and road maintenance. Some saw combat, but most played crucial roles in supporting other units. The Battalion was officially disbanded in September 1929.

In July 2022, the Canadian government issues a formal apology the racism and discrimination the No. 2 Construction Battalion faced, making this new release a timely one.

The reverse was designed by Kwame Delfish, a Toronto artist who was the first Caribbean Canadian to design a coin for the Royal Canadian Mint. He designed the reverse of the 2015 coin celebrating Canada with his map-like depiction of the country. He also designed the reverse for the 2022 installment of the Commemorating Black History series which honored those who took the perilous journey on the Underground Railroad to Canada.

The 99.99 percent silver coin is the fifth coin in the RCM’s annual Commemorating Black History series and the first to highlight Black military history in Canada. The limited mintage of 5,500 makes this coin one to get quickly before they’re sold out.