The Color of Money


The artist John Jones has graciously allowed us to use images from Confederate Currency: The Color of Money on our web site. This collection of paintings investigates the importance of slavery in the economy of the American South. Jones has researched and recreated over 126 images of slavery that were depicted on Confederate and Southern States money. The exhibit makes a very powerful statement about the significance of enslaved Africans to the American economy.

Quote from the artist: "It has sometimes been said that the history of a country is reflected in its money. That was certainly true in the history of early American paper currencies, and the depiction of enslaved Africans on them. Cotton and slaves were the foundations on which the economy of the South was built. . . These images of slavery by engravers of that period are similar to the work of present day photo–journalists, except the positive slave images were used as propaganda. They were designed to actively affirm and aggressively promote the slave labor system of their plantation economy."

- John W. Jones.