Pledge bucket hat with buttons and pins from Delta Sigma Theta sorority: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A white, cloth bucket pledge hat (2015.91.2.1) from Delta Sigma Theta sorority. The hat has a red band around the base of the crown. The exterior surface of the hat is covered with thirty-eight (38) pin-back buttons, lapel pins, and a safety pin (2015.91.2.2-.37). The buttons are from a variety of sources including many from the sorority Delta Sigma Theta. A white fabric tag is sewn to the interior of the hat. It has black and red text that reads [100% Cotton / Made in China / Small]. There is a black ink stamp on the fabric tag that reads, [55].

A plastic name tag holder with paper badge insert and safety pin closure from the July 1980 National Student Convention. The paper badge is white with red and black text and with red and blue stripes running along the bottom. The red text at the top of the badge reads, [National Student Convention / July 25-29, 1980 ? Washington, D.C.]. Below is a black outlined box with text that reads, [CHERYL BAILEY, VP / COPPIN STATE COLLEGE, MD]. The bottom third of the badge has red and black text that reads, [Region 6 DELEGATE Nº 001335 / American Student Association]. The [6] is in a black outlined box.

A white, round, pin-back button with red text that reads, [Everybody / wants to be a / DELTA but some settl [sic] / for les [sic]]. The text is off-centered and cut off on the right and bottom edges.

A white, round, pin-back button with red and black text that reads, [I ? / NY]

An irregularly shaped white, pin with red and black text that reads, [?ST] above a black outlined banner that reads [DELTA SIGMA THETA]. The closure on the back is a safety pin brooch pin back.

A white, round, pin-back button with a red graphic on the left and red text on the right that reads, [?ST].

A black, round, pin-back button with a gold center graphic comprised of two nestled arrows. Gold text wraps around the top of the button and reads, [I LOVE YOU COPPIN].

A white, round, pin-back button with red and black text that reads, [YOU / PLUS / US /CERTIFIED FURNITURE RENTAL].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1979-1981
• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Owned by: Cheryl Bailey Solomon, American, born 1959
• Subject of: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, American, founded 1913
• Subject of: Coppin State University, American, founded 1900
• Type: hats
• Type: buttons (information artifacts)
• Medium: canvas with thread, plastic, metal and ink
• Dimensions: H x W: 7 × 9 × 10 in. (17.8 × 22.9 × 25.4 cm)
• Place used: Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
• Place made: China, Asia
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Education
• Topic: HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
• Topic: Sororities
• Object number: 2015.91.2.1-.39
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cheryl Bailey Solomon
• 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 underlying object's rights statement is: © Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.