John Lennon is one of the most popular and well-respected British musicians in history and remains a high-profile figure in pop culture more than 40 years after his passing. Whilst his music undoubtedly plays a big part in his enduring popularity, he continues to be viewed as an icon of peace both for his influence as a political activist and an advocate for civil rights.
Described by his widow Yoko Ono as ‘an activist before there was a word [for] activism’, Lennon was a staunch supporter of many causes throughout his career, from civil rights to feminism, and his priorities evolved to correspond with the changing world around him.
John Lennon’s opposition to the Vietnam War in the late 1960s into the 1970s became evident when he and Yoko Ono staged several peaceful anti-war protests. Their most memorable bed-in protest took place in Amsterdam over a six-day period in 1969. Staged at the Hilton Hotel in the Dutch capital, the bed-in cleverly followed the couple’s wedding on 20 March 1969. Knowing their subsequent honeymoon would draw significant media attention, they openly invited the press to their hotel room every day.
As the couple had rightly predicted, the Amsterdam bed-in, which saw John Lennon and Yoko Ono sitting in bed wearing pyjamas, with peace-related signs over their bed, attracted a lot of publicity and highlighted their anti-war stance. Later in the year, they used their bed-in platform once more at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel. In addition to reinforcing the message of peace, the second bed-in was filmed and later released by Yoko Ono.
Rounding out 1969 with one final message of peace to the masses, John and Yoko set up billboards in 12 major cities across the world, from New York to Tokyo. The unassuming black and white design simply read ‘WAR IS OVER! IF YOU WANT IT – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko’. The couple continued to use their public platform to promote peace and unity, repeating the message on posters, handouts and advertisements in major newspapers.
These acts of political defiance against the establishment along with the couple’s opposition of the Vietnam War provoked the United States government, namely the Richard Nixon administration. Lennon was under frequent surveillance in the hope that it would discourage him and lead to his potential deportation, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) even paying him special attention.
In 1971, Lennon produced ‘Power to the People’, another of his most memorable protest songs, which he recorded with the Plastic Ono Band. The song was said to be inspired by an interview he gave to Tariq Ali and Robin Blackburn earlier that year for the internationalist newspaper Red Mole. The intention was for the song to provide people with a revolutionary anthem to sing in support of civil rights and featured stomping sounds to mimic the atmosphere of a political rally. A testament to its popularity amongst fans, the song remained in the charts for nine weeks.
The reverse of the 2025 UK coin celebrating John Lennon’s legacy features the singer-songwriter’s unmistakable image alongside the word ‘IMAGINE’, the title of his most famous politically charged song. Regularly voted as one of the greatest songs of all time, it is a thought-provoking piano ballad that extols the virtues of a pacifistic agenda and muses over the prospect of a world without war in which unity reigns supreme.
Like any firm believer fighting for a righteous cause, Lennon’s views weren’t without opposition or danger despite his good intentions. In 1971, he had a face-to-face interaction with a young man named Curt Claudio. A troubled man looking for spiritual answers, he visited Lennon at his home in pursuit of just that, with their tense, enlightening and slightly awkward conversation revealing the musician’s empathetic side.
Offering him insight into his songs and lyrics, and even inviting the man into his home for breakfast, Lennon sought to console Claudio. Whilst an encounter like this would prove worrying for many celebrities, it shows that Lennon was man of the people who took his status as a social activist to heart, be it on a global scale or with a single person in need of help.
Lennon was also an advocate for numerous charitable causes. On 30 August 1972, he played two iconic shows at New York City’s legendary venue Madison Square Garden in support of children with learning disabilities. Raising funds for a worthwhile cause, these concerts ended up being Lennon’s last full-length performances before his untimely passing in 1980. In 1986, the recording of the first performance was released posthumously as a live album.
Following his death, Lennon’s positive influence remains strong. For proof, look no further than the #IMAGINE campaign orchestrated by UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, in 2014. Launched on International Children’s Day, the aim of the project was to highlight the challenges faced by children around the world and raise money for the charity.
As part of the campaign, a reworked version of Lennon’s classic song of the same name featured contributions by more than 100 people, ranging from musicians and celebrities to actors and sports personalities. Members of the public were also encouraged to participate by sending their own recordings via an app and UNICEF partners donated $1 for every upload they received.
As relevant today as it has ever been, Lennon’s message of peace remains a focal point of his legacy and reinforces his lasting impact on the world beyond the realms of music. Join us as we celebrate John Lennon’s life by securing your John Lennon 2025 UK Coin today and honouring the legend who changed music and the world for the better.
