Alpha Kappa Alpha pendant belonging to Etta Moten Barnett: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a gold Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) pendant belonging to Etta Moten Barnett. The pendant consists of a circle of gold colored metal with a small loop on its top rim for suspension. On the front face of the pendant is the AKA crest in the center with the two shaking hands above the shield and the Greek motto below the shield. Under the motto is the number “50” engraved into the metal. The crest is arranged on a slightly raised oval within the circle of the pendant. Surrounding the oval is a gold colored metal thread that runs around the perimeter of the pendant in a rippled pattern. The back of the pendant is flat and blank.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: late 20th century
• Issued by: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded 1908
• Owned by: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Type: pendants (jewelry)
• Medium: metal
• Dimensions: Diameter: 1 × 1/16 in. (2.5 × 0.2 cm)
• Place used: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Sororities
• Topic: Women
• Object number: A2022.13.1.118
• 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 underlying object's rights statement is: © Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.