Four buttons from a Pullman Porter uniform: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Four (4) round, silver colored Pullman Porter buttons that may have originally been sewn to a Porter uniform. The buttons contain the word "PULLMAN" at the center on the front. The back of the buttons have a small circular piece of metal attached to the center, which was probably used to attach the button to the uniform. Also on the back is the following information: "SCOVILL MFG. CO/WATERBURY".

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: early 20th-mid 20th Century
• Manufactured by: Scovill Mfg. Co., American, 1850 - 1970
• Subject of: Pullman Palace Car Company, American, 1867 - 1969
• Type: buttons (fasteners)
• Medium: metal
• Dimensions: Diameter: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
• Dimensions: Depth: 1/2 in. (1.3 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Labor
• Topic: Pullman Porters
• Topic: Segregation
• Topic: Transportation
• Object number: 2012.46.75.18a-d
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.