Government, Politics, and Reform

March on Washington Handbill

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.

Date: 1880s

1863 Susannah Pullen's Civil War Quilt

Mrs. Gilbert (Susannah G.) Pullen and her Sunday school class made this pieced quilt in Augusta, Maine in 1863. She followed the guidelines set by the U.S. Sanitary Commission for bedding to be used in the Civil War.
Description
Mrs. Gilbert (Susannah G.) Pullen and her Sunday school class made this pieced quilt in Augusta, Maine in 1863. She followed the guidelines set by the U.S. Sanitary Commission for bedding to be used in the Civil War. The fourteen young ladies in the Sunday school class contributed over 150 inscriptions that were penned on the quilt's fifteen separate star-patterned blocks. They chose Bible passages, stories to uplift and guide, and riddles to which the answer was only to be found in the Bible. They also provided numerous inscriptions on practical health advice, patriotic messages, and light-hearted riddles. Even personal messages such as: "If you are good looking send me your photograph. Direct to the name in the large square. E.G.D." appeared on the quilt. It was hoped that the quilt would not only provide a diversion for the wounded soldiers during their long days recovering in hospital but also "alleviate or prevent disease and lead to happiness and Heaven." The numerous inscriptions on this quilt provide an insight into the feelings and concerns of the period and perhaps all war eras.
Susannah Pullen expressed hope for correspondence when she penned these words on the quilt: "We have many dear friends connected with the army & any proper letters from any persons embraced in the defense of our country, received by any whose names are on this quilt shall have a reply. Tell us if nothing more its destination. We meet with many others to sew for you every Wednesday and your letters would prompt us to more exertions for our patriots." Two letters remain with the quilt and attest to its use at the Carver and Armory Square Hospitals in Washington D.C. A letter from Sergt. Nelson S. Fales of Nov. 22, 1863 eloquently expresses his gratitude: "Dear Madam I have had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful 'Quilt' sent by you to cheer and comfort the Maine Soldiers. I have read the mottoes, sentiments, etc., inscribed thereon with much pleasure and profit."
On the back of the quilt Susannah Pullen penned these words: “The commencement of this war took place Apr. 12th 1861. The first gun was fired from Fort Sumter. God speed the time when we can tell when, and where, the last gun was fired; & ‘we shall learn war no more.’ If this quilt survives the war we would like to have it returned to Mrs. Gilbert Pullen, Augusta, Me . . . This quilt completed Sept. 1st 1863.” It did survive use during the Civil War, and it was returned to Mrs. Pullen as she requested.
Susannah G. Corey was born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1816. She married Gilbert Pullen (1810-1890) April 26, 1840. Gilbert was listed as a marble cutter on the 1850 census. They lived in Augusta, Maine with their two daughters, Susan E. and Charlotte. Susannah and Gilbert were members of the First Baptist Church. Susannah died November 26, 1871, and is buried in the Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta, Maine.
Susannah Pullen's Civil War Quilt was exhibited at a library in Augusta, Maine, for many years. Over time the inscriptions faded, but fortunately a transcription of them was made in the early-twentieth century. In 1936 Susannah’s granddaughter, Gertrude B. Davis, donated the quilt in her mother’s name, Charlotte Pullen Scruton. It is a reminder of the efforts of the many women who used their needlework and organizational skills to provide comfort for the armies of both the North and South.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1863
quilter
Pullen, Mrs. Gilbert
quilters
unknown
ID Number
TE.T07726
accession number
138338
catalog number
T07726

Before Richmond

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1862
Associated Date
1862-06-21
depicted
McClellan, George B.
Davis, Jefferson
ID Number
ZZ.RSN81806Y26

1888 Prohibition Amendment Parlor Throw

"Memorial to the Constitutional Prohibition Ammendment 1888", is found on a red satin triangle on a corner of the lining.
Description
"Memorial to the Constitutional Prohibition Ammendment 1888", is found on a red satin triangle on a corner of the lining. In 1888 the Prohibition Party was beginning to achieve national strength in the presidential elections.
Founded in 1869, for the purpose of prohibiting the sale and manufacture of liquor, the Prohibition Party finally achieved the goal in 1919 with the ratification of the 18th Amendment. The 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment. Although the party still exists, it does not have the following it had in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This parlor throw was made at the height of the Prohibition Party’s popularity.
A 14-inch center block of red velvet with painted water lilies is framed by two rows of painted or embroidered 7-inch satin blocks. The use of three colors (amber, blue and black), set alternately, provides a balanced overall aesthetic. An 8 ¼-inch red velvet border completes the throw. The lining is red satin, machine-quilted in a triple diagonal grid. Five of the black satin squares have painted religious inscriptions: “Hope;” a Bible with “Tried and Proved;” “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;” Be of the same mind one toward another;” and, a cross with “Et Teneo et Teneor.” The last, meaning "I hold and am held," may have referred to the motto of a Baptist college founded by Charles Haddon Spurgeon in the 1860s. The floral and bird motifs, the spider web, and others are similar to those found on crazy patchwork of the late 19th century.
Although the maker is not known, the sentiments expressed are indicative of the types of inscriptions on decorative items that might be found in many homes during that era.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1888
maker
unknown
ID Number
TE.T11462
accession number
211904
catalog number
T11462

1870 - 1886 Margaret Tormey's Crazy-patched Quilt Top

It took Margaret Tormey sixteen years to carefully craft this 86-inch quilt top, dated 1886, and two matching pillow shams.
Description
It took Margaret Tormey sixteen years to carefully craft this 86-inch quilt top, dated 1886, and two matching pillow shams. She included campaign and club ribbons that name New York and Brooklyn; printed silks from the Robinson Company with such motifs as the Statue of Liberty; and brocaded silk pictures to personalize her project. Examples of chromolithograph printing on silk are also found on the quilt top. A multitude of embroidered motifs typical of the era embellish the crazy-patchwork.
Margaret McNamara was born in Ireland (about 1835) and immigrated with her family to the United States about 1848. In 1861 she married Patrick Tormey, who was also born in Ireland (about 1835) and immigrated as a teenager. They lived in Brooklyn, N.Y. Patrick, a Civil War veteran, was keeper of the Brooklyn City Hall for many years. He died in 1900. Margaret died in 1910.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870-1886
maker
Tormey, Margaret McNamara
ID Number
TE.T12927
accession number
247329
catalog number
T12927

1883 Vickery Sisters' Crazy-patch Parlor Throw

This crazy-patched parlor throw was made by two sisters who lived in Fall River, Mass. The only information known about them is their last name, Vickery, and that neither sister married.
Description
This crazy-patched parlor throw was made by two sisters who lived in Fall River, Mass. The only information known about them is their last name, Vickery, and that neither sister married. A date of 1883 is embroidered on one silk patch.
Their needlework is an example of the crazy-patch work that was very popular in the United States from 1870 to 1900.
This type of quilt was not necessarily made for bedding, and more often was a project designed to be displayed over a chair or sofa in the parlor. The crazy-patchwork throws were constructed of pieces of silk, satin, velvets, and ribbon, and enhanced with fancy embroidery stitches. A wide range of appliquéd, embroidered, or painted motifs provided additional interest.
This parlor throw consists of many crazy-patched and embroidered parallelograms that were assembled into ten 4 ½-inch vertical strips. The strips were joined and framed by a 2 ½-inch black velvet ribbon border with 1 ¾-inch gold satin ribbon tabs, imposing order on disorderly crazy-patches. Felted appliquéd motifs of flowers and birds adorn several patches. Other patches contain motifs such as fans, butterflies, horseshoes, or spider webs, all frequently found on crazy-patchwork. “Kate Greenaway” figures, another popular motif of the era, are embroidered on several patches. Kate Greenaway (1846-1901) was a popular writer and illustrator of children’s books. Her distinctive style for drawing children was widely copied and appears on various decorative arts of the time.
Commemorative ribbons were often saved and then used for crazy-patchwork. A silk ribbon souvenir bookmark with an image of Lincoln and the inscription: “THE LATE LAMENTED PRESIDENT LINCOLN” (“T. Stevens Coventry” on the back) is prominent on this parlor throw. It is a modified version of a ribbon the Thomas Stevens Company of Coventry, U.K., made for Lincoln’s second inauguration in 1865.
Thomas Stevens revitalized silk ribbon weaving in Coventry by adapting the jacquard weaving process to produce woven pictures. Custom-designed ribbons, badges, bookmarks, etc., might have portraits, text, or local scenes incorporated in the weave. The term “Stevengraph” is often used to describe the products. These were marketed at the time as “Stevens’ Patent Illuminated Book Markers.” Although only part of the ribbon is visible on this throw, similar ribbons are further inscribed: “ASSASSINATED AT WASHINGTON / 14 APRIL 1865 I HAVE SAID NOTHING BUT WHAT I AM WILLING TO LIVE BY, AND IF IT BE THE PLEASURE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, TO DIE BY. (A. LINCOLN)”
While there is little information about the Vickery sisters at this time, their needlework project contains many items of interest. It is a worthwhile contribution to the Collection.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1883
maker
Vickery Sisters
ID Number
TE.T14434
catalog number
T14434
accession number
274324

1883 - 1884 William Corcoran's States and Territories Bed Cover

Fifty-six squares were embroidered, painted, crazy-patched, assembled, and surrounded by a 9-inch plush border. The blocks represent the states and territories of the United States at the time the bedcover was made; some are dated 1883 and 1884.
Description
Fifty-six squares were embroidered, painted, crazy-patched, assembled, and surrounded by a 9-inch plush border. The blocks represent the states and territories of the United States at the time the bedcover was made; some are dated 1883 and 1884. The bedcovering was made for William Wilson Corcoran (1798-1888), whose initials, WWC, are embroidered in the center of the gold silk lining. It hung for many years in the Louise Home, a charitable institution for elderly women in need, which he established in 1870. Among his many other accomplishments is the founding of the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1883-1884
quilter
unknown
ID Number
TE.T13234
accession number
251664
catalog number
T13234

Fox and Geese Game Board

This 9-inch square board with 32 holes was made for playing Fox and Geese, a game of strategy between two players. The 19 pegs representing geese and a single longer peg for the fox are long gone from this particular board made in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Description
This 9-inch square board with 32 holes was made for playing Fox and Geese, a game of strategy between two players. The 19 pegs representing geese and a single longer peg for the fox are long gone from this particular board made in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Fox and Geese was among the games played by fishermen during idle times on sailing schooners working in the North Atlantic fisheries. This board was part of a display on “Habits of Fishermen,” at the International Fisheries Exhibition in London in 1883. Other games in the display, all from Gloucester, included cards, a checkerboard, backgammon, and a diamond puzzle.
The rules of play for Fox and Geese are simple: one player controls the fox, while the other controls the geese. The fox can move in a straight line in any direction and, as it jumps over geese, the geese are removed from the board. To win, the fox must break through the entire line of geese. The geese are only allowed to move forward or sideways. To win, they must corner the fox so it cannot move.
The Oxford English Dictionary cites a 1633 reference to the game from a play called Fine Companion by Shackerley Marmion: “Let him sit in the shop . . . and let him play at fox and geese with the foreman.” The game was played in colonial America and, with minor variations, well into the 19th and 20th centuries.
This game board was one of several items donated to the Smithsonian by Capt. George Merchant Jr., of Gloucester.
Location
Currently not on view (Pegs from gameboard)
Date made
1883
ID Number
AG.057950
catalog number
057950
accession number
12158

ring

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1850 - 1880
Associated Date
ca 1850-1880
associated person
Davis, Jefferson
wearer
Davis, Varina Anne Howell
ID Number
2012.0261.01
accession number
2012.0261
catalog number
2012.0261.01

United States National 34-Star Flag

Physical DescriptionCloth consisting of a blue canton with 34 white stars in the upper left quadrant and thirteen equally positioned stripes, 7 red and 6 white.General HistoryThe United States National 34-Star flag was adopted with the admission of Kansas as the 34th state in Jan
Description
Physical Description
Cloth consisting of a blue canton with 34 white stars in the upper left quadrant and thirteen equally positioned stripes, 7 red and 6 white.
General History
The United States National 34-Star flag was adopted with the admission of Kansas as the 34th state in January 1861. It was used until 1863 when West Virginia became a state. At no time did the national flag lose stars. Since the United States believed that secession from the Union was illegal, the flag continued to bear the stars of all the states of the Union, even the Southern states. Flag makers had several designs for the 34-star flag; this is a later one.
date made
1861
1861 - 1863
ID Number
AF.58182M
catalog number
58182M
accession number
208701

Black Lives Matter

A poster sponsored by Workers World Party promoting Black Lives Matter.Currently not on view
Description
A poster sponsored by Workers World Party promoting Black Lives Matter.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2017-08-12
used date
2017-08-11 - 2017-08-12
maker
Workers World Party
ID Number
2017.0270.04
accession number
2017.0270
catalog number
2017.0270.04

Campaign Pin, 1888

Campaign Pin, 1888
Description
Campaign Pin, 1888
associated date
1888
associated person
Harrison, Benjamin
ID Number
2015.0200.033
accession number
2015.0200
catalog number
2015.0200.033

KKK GO / AWAY!

A poster used at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA in August 2017.Currently not on view
Description
A poster used at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA in August 2017.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2017-08-12
used date
2017-08-11 - 2017-08-12
ID Number
2017.0270.08
accession number
2017.0270
catalog number
2017.0270.08

Make Racists Afraid Again

A poster sponsored by the Workers World Party against white supremacy.Currently not on view
Description
A poster sponsored by the Workers World Party against white supremacy.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 2017-08-12
used date
2017-08-11 - 2017-08-12
maker
Workers World Party
ID Number
2017.0270.03
accession number
2017.0270
catalog number
2017.0270.03

No. 7. Oliver Ames' Villa, Sea View Ave., Cottage City.

black and white stereograph mounted on yellow cardstock; printed on verso "Photographed and Published by / R.G. Shute, Edgartown, Mass.
Description (Brief)
black and white stereograph mounted on yellow cardstock; printed on verso "Photographed and Published by / R.G. Shute, Edgartown, Mass. / Views of Martha's Vineyard Camp Ground, Oak Bluffs, Highlands, Gay Head, Edgartown, Katama, Vineyard Haven, Nantucket, A Whaling Voyage / and other Stereoscopic Pictures."; printed on recto "No. 7. Oliver Ames' Villa, Sea View Ave., Cottage City."; view looking at gingerbread style cottage at an angle, wrap around front porch with stairs leading off two visible sides
date made
late 1870s-1880s
ID Number
2012.3033.0704
nonaccession number
2012.3033
catalog number
2012.3033.0704

Howell Cobb

Howell Cobb was a member of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, Governor of Georgia, and Secretary of the Treasury under James Buchanan.
Description
Howell Cobb was a member of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, Governor of Georgia, and Secretary of the Treasury under James Buchanan. He was also a founder of the Confederacy and was the President in the Provisional Congress of Confederate States.
Location
Currently not on view
Associated Date
1851-1853
referenced
D'Avignon's Press
maker
D'Avignon's Press
ID Number
2015.0196.02
accession number
2015.0196
catalog number
2015.0196.02

button

Chester Alan Arthur II, son of President Chester A. Arthur, removed this button representing the Loyal Legion from his father’s coat before the casket was closed at his funeral in November 1886.Currently not on view
Description
Chester Alan Arthur II, son of President Chester A. Arthur, removed this button representing the Loyal Legion from his father’s coat before the casket was closed at his funeral in November 1886.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1886 11 21
associated person
Arthur, Chester A.
ID Number
1977.0491.02
accession number
1977.0491
catalog number
1977.0491.02

Clark Campaign Paperweight, 1912

date made
ca 1884
ca 1912
associated person
Clark, Champ
ID Number
1978.1021.01
catalog number
1978.1021.01
accession number
1978.1021

Glass Ballot Jar with Lockable Wooden Housing, 1884

The glass ballot jar became a symbol of democratic self-government. This 1884 glass ballot jar is typical of the transparent devices used to secure paper ballots.
Description
The glass ballot jar became a symbol of democratic self-government. This 1884 glass ballot jar is typical of the transparent devices used to secure paper ballots.
Date made
1884
maker
Amos Pettibone
ID Number
1999.0024.01
accession number
1999.0024
catalog number
1999.0024.01

Campaign Novelty, Cleveland/Thurman

In 1888, President Grover Cleveland ran against Republican challenger Benjamin Harrison. Harrison ultimately lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and thus became president.
Description
In 1888, President Grover Cleveland ran against Republican challenger Benjamin Harrison. Harrison ultimately lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and thus became president. Only five presidents – John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W Bush, and Donald Trump – have entered the White House after popular vote defeats.
associated date
1888
associated person
Cleveland, Grover
ID Number
2015.0200.029
accession number
2015.0200
catalog number
2015.0200.029

Harrison Campaign Pin, 1888

This pin declares the wearer’s support for Benjamin Harrison, president from 1889 to 1893, but Harrison was not a widely liked figure in Washington.
Description
This pin declares the wearer’s support for Benjamin Harrison, president from 1889 to 1893, but Harrison was not a widely liked figure in Washington. Although a captivating public speaker, in person Harrison was considers aloof and distant, often referred to as a “cold fish.” He never succeeded in winning the popular vote against Grover Cleveland, in either his 1888 or 1892 presidential campaigns, and won few new allies over the course of his administration. However, in an age of intense partisanship, wearing a pin with Harrisons name on it often declared ones support for the Republican party as a whole, rather than Harrison in particular.
date made
1888
associated date
1888
associated person
Harrison, Benjamin
ID Number
2015.0200.036
accession number
2015.0200
catalog number
2015.0200.036

Campaign Song Book, "Ye Little Giant"

In the 1850s, Illinois politician Stephen A. Douglas went by the nickname “the Little Giant,” because of his incredible influence despite his small stature.
Description
In the 1850s, Illinois politician Stephen A. Douglas went by the nickname “the Little Giant,” because of his incredible influence despite his small stature. Douglas most famously supported the ideology called “Popular Sovereignty,” which held that the conflict over slavery could be solved, on-the-ground, by local voters who could decide whether to allow or ban slavery in their communities. This view was popular among northern Democrats – often symbolized by the donkey – that ran Douglas as a presidential candidate in 1860. Douglas’ defeat in that election by Abraham Lincoln, and subsequent death a few months later, put an end to the life of “popular sovereignty” as a possible solution to the growing conflict over slavery.
associated date
1888
1840
associated person
Harrison, Benjamin
ID Number
PL.305360.308
catalog number
305360.308
accession number
305360

Campaign Lantern, 1888

Political campaigns of the 19th century reflected popular traditions of commemoration and celebration—such as Fourth of July parades—that became familiar to many Americans in the early Republic.
Description
Political campaigns of the 19th century reflected popular traditions of commemoration and celebration—such as Fourth of July parades—that became familiar to many Americans in the early Republic. The mechanisms of popular politics not specifically called for in the Constitution—parties, nominating conventions, and electoral campaigns—drew freely on the evocative imagery of such festivities in promoting candidates and building the momentum of the campaign. Mass campaign spectacles arose as a way of demonstrating partisan strength and of mobilizing indifferent and easily distracted voters. The successful presidential campaign of Republican Abraham Lincoln perfected the nighttime torchlight parade, which enjoyed popularity into the late nineteenth century. This lantern carries the slogan “Protection, Tippecanoe and Morton Too”, was carried in support of the candidacy of Benjamin Harrison and running mate Levi Morton in 1888.
associated date
1888
associated person
Harrison, Benjamin
ID Number
PL.227739.1888.X07
catalog number
227739.1888.X07
accession number
227739

Campaign Card, 1880

In the 1880 presidential campaign, the Democratic party ran Winfield Scott Hancock as their presidential candidate. Hancock was seen as an ideal choice, a war hero who fought bravely for the Union at Gettysburg, and even Republicans acknowledged his upstanding reputation.
Description
In the 1880 presidential campaign, the Democratic party ran Winfield Scott Hancock as their presidential candidate. Hancock was seen as an ideal choice, a war hero who fought bravely for the Union at Gettysburg, and even Republicans acknowledged his upstanding reputation. At a time when both parties often used the image of a rooster to indicate their pride and fighting abilities, this card links Hancock’s battlefield bravery to that of a fighting cock. Unfortunately for him, Hancock lost to James Garfield by the smallest popular vote margin in U.S. History.
associated date
1880 11 02
ID Number
PL.227739.1880.W01 [dup1]
catalog number
227739.1880.W01

pages, carte-de-visite album

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1864 circa
ID Number
2018.0124.04o
accession number
2018.0124
catalog number
2018.0124.04

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.