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.

Ribbon worn by a delegate to a suffrage convention held in Fort Worth, Texas in June 1894After the first Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls in 1848, suffrage groups began holding state and national conventions to strategize for woman suffrage.Currently not on view
Description
Ribbon worn by a delegate to a suffrage convention held in Fort Worth, Texas in June 1894
After the first Woman’s Rights Convention at Seneca Falls in 1848, suffrage groups began holding state and national conventions to strategize for woman suffrage.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1894
associated date
1894-06-06
ID Number
PL.242991.191
catalog number
242991.191
accession number
242991
Lyndon B. Johnson represented Texas in the House of Representatives and the Senate for 24 years before serving as vice president under President John F. Kennedy. Johnson ascended to the presidency following Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
Description
Lyndon B. Johnson represented Texas in the House of Representatives and the Senate for 24 years before serving as vice president under President John F. Kennedy. Johnson ascended to the presidency following Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. This miniature license plate was produced for Johnson’s 1964 campaign to retain the office. He won a landslide victory against Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, his Republican challenger.
associated date
1964
associated person
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines)
associated institution
Democratic National Party
ID Number
PL.227739.1964.X69
catalog number
227739.1964.X69
accession number
227739
Frances Farenthold was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1969-1973 and ran for Governor of Texas in 1972 and 1974.Currently not on view
Description
Frances Farenthold was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1969-1973 and ran for Governor of Texas in 1972 and 1974.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1972
associated institution
National Women's Political Caucus
ID Number
PL.308368.16
catalog number
308368.16
A green poster with black and white text; "Viva la Huelga/ Don't buy Farrah pants!" In the 1970s, garment unions represented about 850,000 workers out of a total industry work force of 1.3 million.
Description
A green poster with black and white text; "Viva la Huelga/ Don't buy Farrah pants!" In the 1970s, garment unions represented about 850,000 workers out of a total industry work force of 1.3 million. Membership declined rapidly as businesses moved offshore and into the non-union South and Southwest. In 1995, garment unions with a combined membership of about 335,000 merged to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial & Textile Employees (UNITE). Organizing new workers has been a major priority.
Location
Currently not on view
associated institution
Farah of Texas
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
maker
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
ID Number
1981.0452.07
accession number
1981.0452
catalog number
1981.0452.07
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2014-08 - 2015-05
ID Number
2018.0156.04
accession number
2018.0156
catalog number
2018.0156.04
This poster, critical of immigration policy, was used at the Tea Party rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2010.
Description
This poster, critical of immigration policy, was used at the Tea Party rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2010.
date made
2010-04-15
04-15-2010
used date
2010-04-15
user
Tea Party Patriots Inc.
referenced
Congress of the United States
Immigration and Naturalization Service
State of California
State of New Mexico
Republic of Texas
maker
Tea Party Patriots Inc.
ID Number
2010.0068.03
catalog number
2010.0068.03
accession number
2010.0068
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2014-08 - 2015-05
ID Number
2018.0156.03
accession number
2018.0156
catalog number
2018.0156.03
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1940
described
Castro, Rafaela
ID Number
2016.0166.02
catalog number
2016.0166.02
accession number
2016.0166
The DeBakey paracorporeal left ventricular assist device was developed by scientists at Baylor and Rice Universities. The pump is gas generated and is made with Dacron reinforced with Salastic.
Description
The DeBakey paracorporeal left ventricular assist device was developed by scientists at Baylor and Rice Universities. The pump is gas generated and is made with Dacron reinforced with Salastic. A diaphragm separates the gas chamber from the blood chamber.
This example was developed by Dr. Michael DeBakey (1908-2008) in the mid-1960's. The pump lies outside the body, one tube is inserted into the left atrium, and a second tube goes into the right auxiliary artery. DeBakey reported on three cases using this pump in a 1971 article "Left Ventricular Bypass Pump for Cardiac Assistance" in The American Journal of Cardiology.
This pump is a direct descendant of an earlier by-pass pump developed in DeBakey’s laboratory. See Accession 256189.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
date(s) of previous ownership
1985-03-28
ID Number
2012.0165.872
catalog number
2012.0165.872
accession number
2012.0165
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955-10-16
described
Flores, Maria Castro
maker
U.S. Public Health Service
ID Number
2016.0166.08
accession number
2016.0166
catalog number
2016.0166.08
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2014-08 - 2015-05
ID Number
2018.0156.02
accession number
2018.0156
catalog number
2018.0156.02
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955-10-16
described
Solis, Sebastian H.
associated
Flores, Maria Castro
maker
U.S. Public Health Service
ID Number
2016.0166.09
accession number
2016.0166
catalog number
2016.0166.09
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2014-08 - 2015-05
ID Number
2018.0156.01
accession number
2018.0156
catalog number
2018.0156.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1934
described
Castro, Rafaela
maker
U.S. Department of Labor
ID Number
2016.0166.01
catalog number
2016.0166.01
accession number
2016.0166
A poster used in the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) protest on March 5, 2018; the day DACA was supposed to have ended.Currently not on view
Description
A poster used in the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) protest on March 5, 2018; the day DACA was supposed to have ended.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 2018
Associated Date
March 5, 2018
maker
Downey, Cortez
ID Number
2018.0073.15
accession number
2018.0073
catalog number
2018.0073.15
This is the first total artificial heart implanted in a human body. It was developed by Domingo Liotta and implanted by surgeon Denton Cooley (1920-2016) on April 4, 1969, at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston.
Description
This is the first total artificial heart implanted in a human body. It was developed by Domingo Liotta and implanted by surgeon Denton Cooley (1920-2016) on April 4, 1969, at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. The recipient, Haskell Karp, lived for sixty-four hours with the artificial heart pumping oxygenated blood through his body until a human heart was available for transplant.
Although Karp died soon after receiving a real heart, and some criticized the surgery as unethical because it was without formal review by the medical community, the procedure demonstrated the viability of artificial hearts as a bridge to transplant in cardiac patients.
date made
1969
maker
Liotta, Domingo
ID Number
1978.1002.01
accession number
1978.1002
catalog number
1978.1002.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
associated date
November 18, 1977
November 21, 1977
ID Number
1978.0307.50
catalog number
1978.0307.50
accession number
1978.0307
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
associated date
1977
ID Number
1979.0348.085
accession number
1979.0348
catalog number
1979.0348.085
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
used date
November 18, 1977
user
Abzug, Bella
associated person
Anthony, Susan B.
ID Number
1978.0307.06
accession number
1978.0307
catalog number
1978.0307.06
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.14
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.14
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.34
Photograph: Braceros wait in a line near Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in a line near Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.04
Photograph: Braceros unpack their personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unpack their personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.11
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.18

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