President gives medal to Brooke
A congressional gold medal was given to former U.S. Sen. Edward William Brooke III Oct. 28 by President Barack Obama.
The medal was given in recognition of what was called Brooke’s unprecedented and enduring service to the nation, which included the distinction of being the first African-American to be elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote.
He represented Massachusetts as a Republican from 1967 to 1979.
According to biographical materials supplied by the U.S. Mint, Brooke, a lawyer, made state and national history in 1962 when he was elected attorney general of Massachusetts. He also served in the U.S. Army’s segregated 366th Infantry Regiment during World War II, attaining the rank of captain, and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and the Distinguished Service Award.
The medal’s obverse was designed and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill did the reverse.
The Mint will sell 3-inch and 1 1/2-inch bronze reproductions of the medal. Visit the Web site at www.usmint.gov for more information.
