Press Pass Worn by Ethel L. Payne
Object Details
- Date
- 1957
- Medium
- paper, plastic, metal, cotton string
- Dimensions
- 8 9/16 × 3 7/16 × 3/8 in. (21.8 × 8.7 × 0.9 cm)
- Cite As
- Ethel Lois Payne Collection, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Avis R. Johnson.
- Caption
- Entering her fourth year as The Chicago Defender’s Washington correspondent, Ethel L. Payne (1911-1991) wore this blue-and-white press pass when covering the second inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. A paper badge hanging below the pinback button is punctuated with tiny blue elephants in a nod to political party. This badge granted Payne access to the Inaugural Ball, held January 21, 1957 at the D.C. National Guard Armory. Perhaps it was here that a famous Broadway performer inscribed “Love, Pearl Bailey” on the back of Payne’s press pass.
- Accession Number
- 1991.0076.0119
- Type
- press badge
- See more items in
- Anacostia Community Museum Collection
- Data Source
- Anacostia Community Museum
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Record ID
- acm_1991.0076.0119
