Selma Burke won the District of Columbia Fine Arts Commission competition to create a bronze plaque of President FDR.
On March 31, 1943, Selma Burke achieved a significant milestone by winning the District of Columbia Fine Arts Commission competition to design a bronze relief plaque of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Selected for her expertise and vision among many contestants, Burke's project was a triumph in the realm of public art and represented a breakthrough for African American women artists. The win not only highlighted her exceptional sculpting skills but also paved the way for the recognition of her work on a national scale. The plaque would later be monumental in claiming her artistic influence on the iconic portrait of Roosevelt that appeared on the U.S. dime.