Government, Politics, and Reform

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln are all represented in the Museum's collections—by a surveying compass, a lap desk, and a top hat, among other artifacts. But the roughly 100,000 objects in this collection reach beyond the possessions of statesmen to touch the broader political life of the nation—in election campaigns, the women's suffrage movement, labor activity, civil rights, and many other areas. Campaign objects make up much of the collection, including posters, novelties, ballots, voting machines, and many others. A second group includes general political history artifacts, such as first ladies' clothing and accessories, diplomatic materials, ceremonial objects, national symbols, and paintings and sculptures of political figures. The third main area focuses on artifacts related to political reform movements, from labor unions to antiwar groups.

Patricia Hawley decorated and wore this hat while serving as a Wisconsin delegate to the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The hat is an official "cheesehead" manufactured by Foamation Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Description
Patricia Hawley decorated and wore this hat while serving as a Wisconsin delegate to the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The hat is an official "cheesehead" manufactured by Foamation Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before arriving at the Chicago convention, Hawley collected the bumper stickers from earlier political events and purchased the pinwheel at the Ford Pharmacy in Appleton, Wisconsin.
It is not known when delegates began the tradition of decorating their hats at political conventions. Over time, delegates' decorations have become more elaborate assemblages. These creations are often statements of a party loyalty, emblematic of a particular cause, or, as was the case of this cheese hat, expressions of local pride. Most are meant to be fun and a celebration of individual participation in the political process.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1996
associated dates
1996-08-11-1996-08-16
1996-08-24-1996-08-30
described
Clinton, Bill
Gore, Jr., Albert A.
ID Number
1996.0311.01
catalog number
1996.0311.01
accession number
1996.0311
Supporters of the Kennedy-Johnson Presidential ticket wore these hats at the 1960 Democratic convention where John Kennedy spoke of his goals as the beginning of a "New Frontier."Currently not on view
Description
Supporters of the Kennedy-Johnson Presidential ticket wore these hats at the 1960 Democratic convention where John Kennedy spoke of his goals as the beginning of a "New Frontier."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960
associated person
Kennedy, John F.
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines)
ID Number
PL.236133.04b
catalog number
236133.04b
accession number
236133
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1963
associated date
1963-08-28
ID Number
PL.250459.01
catalog number
250459.01
accession number
250459
Beanies were a popular style of headgear in the United States in the early twentieth century. This one promoted James Cox, the 1920 Democratic presidential nominee. Cox, the governor of Ohio, lost to a senator from his own state, Republican Warren G. Harding.
Description
Beanies were a popular style of headgear in the United States in the early twentieth century. This one promoted James Cox, the 1920 Democratic presidential nominee. Cox, the governor of Ohio, lost to a senator from his own state, Republican Warren G. Harding. Although Cox lost this race, a better future awaited his running mate. Franklin D. Roosevelt is the only losing vice presidential candidate to later be elected president.
date made
1920
ID Number
PL.315260.1338
catalog number
315260.1338
accession number
315260
At six feet four inches tall, Lincoln towered over most of his contemporaries. He chose to stand out even more by wearing high top hats. He acquired this hat from J. Y. Davis, a Washington hat maker.
Description
At six feet four inches tall, Lincoln towered over most of his contemporaries. He chose to stand out even more by wearing high top hats. He acquired this hat from J. Y. Davis, a Washington hat maker. Lincoln had the black silk mourning band added in remembrance of his son Willie. No one knows when he obtained the hat, or how often he wore it. The last time he put it on was to go to Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865.
After Lincoln’s assassination, the War Department preserved his hat and other material left at Ford’s Theatre. With permission from Mary Lincoln, the department gave the hat to the Patent Office, which, in 1867, transferred it to the Smithsonian Institution. Joseph Henry, the Secretary of the Smithsonian, ordered his staff not to exhibit the hat “under any circumstance, and not to mention the matter to any one, on account of there being so much excitement at the time.” It was immediately placed in a basement storage room.
The American public did not see the hat again until 1893, when the Smithsonian lent it to an exhibition hosted by the Lincoln Memorial Association. Today it is one of the Institution’s most treasured objects.
Transfer from the War Department with permission from Mary Lincoln, 1867
date made
mid 19th century
user
Lincoln, Abraham
maker
Davis, J. Y.
ID Number
PL.9321
accession number
38912
catalog number
9321
Cap from the 1896 campaign of Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan.
Description
Cap from the 1896 campaign of Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan.
ID Number
1979.0215.086
accession number
1979.0215
catalog number
1979.0215.086
Cap from the 1904 presidential campaign of Democrat Alton B. Parker.
Description
Cap from the 1904 presidential campaign of Democrat Alton B. Parker.
ID Number
1977.0979.19
accession number
1977.0979
catalog number
1977.0979.19
associated person
Roosevelt, Theodore
Fairbanks, Charles
ID Number
1977.0979.20
accession number
1977.0979
catalog number
1977.0979.20
The Johnny Horizon Program was established by the U.S. Department of the Interior in the early 1970s to increase environmental awareness and encourage people to work together to improve and protect the environment.
Description
The Johnny Horizon Program was established by the U.S. Department of the Interior in the early 1970s to increase environmental awareness and encourage people to work together to improve and protect the environment. “Johnny Horizon” was a symbolic figure of a concerned citizen who wanted to help keep America clean as it approached its 200th birthday in 1976.
The program distributed environmental education newsletters, booklets, stickers, and other material throughout the country. This “Johnny Horizon” red, white, and blue life-size cowboy hat was offered to children so they could show their support for a safe and healthy future for America.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1976
associated date
1976
associated institution
Department of Interior. Bureau of Education
ID Number
1977.0680.02
accession number
1977.0680
catalog number
1977.0680.02
Dating from 1910-1912, this woman's hat is trimmed with ostrich plumes. At the end of the nineteenth century, there was an ever increasing demand by hat makers for plumes, especially ostrich, to decorate women's millinery.
Description
Dating from 1910-1912, this woman's hat is trimmed with ostrich plumes. At the end of the nineteenth century, there was an ever increasing demand by hat makers for plumes, especially ostrich, to decorate women's millinery. With new legislative restrictions on hunting wild birds for fashion, ostrich farming became a successful enterprise in California, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida in the 1880s so that feathers could be clipped from the farmed birds to satisfy the American demands for hat making using ostrich feathers.
This hat is made of ivory silk and trimmed with plumes of a pale ivory shade. The underside of the hat brim is covered with black silk velvet. The ostrich plumes were extended by tying on barbs cut from other ostrich plumes. It measures 8.9 inches by 18.3 inches by 15.9 inches overall.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1910-1912
ID Number
1972.299884.008
accession number
299884
catalog number
299884.8
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
wearer
Wilson, Edith Bolling Galt
ID Number
PL.243594.35
accession number
243594
catalog number
243594.35

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