Pen used by Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the 1965 Voting Rights Act: Museum Object and Cultural History
Pen used by Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the 1965 Voting Rights Act: Date: 1965. Created by: Esterbrook Pen Company, American, 1947 - 1967. Used by: President Lyndon Baines Johnson, American, 1908 - 1973.
The object in the museum catalogue
2010.45.1a: A pen with a silver-colored nib, black grip, and clear barrel. "The President - The White House" is molded into the clear handle in white lettering.
2010.45.1b: Black ink on paper, a copy of S. 1564, an act to enforce the fifteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and for other purposes. The act was passed August 6, 1965.
2010.45.1c: Black ink on paper, a copy of H.R. 6400, a bill before the House of Representatives that purports to enforce the fifteenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
2010.45.1d: A magazine clipping showing an image of Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act
The four items were originally framed together in a commemorative display.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1965
- Created by: Esterbrook Pen Company, American, 1947 - 1967
- Used by: President Lyndon Baines Johnson, American, 1908 - 1973
- Type: fountain pens
- Medium: chrome steel and acrylic with ink on paper (fiber product)
- Dimensions: H x W (Pen): 6 1/4 × 1/2 in. (15.9 × 1.3 cm)
- Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Topic: African American
- Topic: Civil Rights
- Topic: Government
- Topic: Law
- Topic: Local and regional
- Topic: Politics
- Topic: Race discrimination
- Topic: Race relations
- Object number: 2010.45.1a-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.
Sources
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