Photograph of Etta Moten Barnett and Vice President Nixon and Mrs. Nixon: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a black and white group portrait of Etta Moten Barnett, her husband Claude Barnett, and then Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon. Standing on the proper left side is Richard Nixon wearing a black suit over a white button down shirt and dark tie with white polka dots. He is standing in a slight quarter turn to the viewer. His face is in profile to the viewer, and he gazes straight ahead at the group of people next to him. Standing next to him is Etta Moten Barnett wearing a dark grey dress. The dress has a double-breasted bodice with two rows of black buttons, long loose sleeves, and a belted waist. It has a high square neckline and a straight mid-calf skirt. She wears a small black hat with a small net veil. Her head is turned slightly to her right as she gazes at Richard Nixon. Standing on her other side is Pat Nixon. Pat Nixon wears a light colored dress with long sleeves and a button up bodice. It has a high round neckline with a bow. The skirt is pleated and mid-calf length. She turns her head to her right and gazes at her husband. On her other side against the proper right side margin is Claude Barnett. He wears a dark double breasted suit with a white pocket square. He is standing in a slight quarter turn to the viewer. He gazes across the group at Richard Nixon. There is a photographer’s mark on the back of the image.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1957
• Photograph by: George Clifton Cabell, American, 1917 - 1976
• Subject of: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Subject of: Claude Albert Barnett, American, 1889 - 1967
• Subject of: President Richard M. Nixon, American, 1913 - 1994
• Subject of: Pat Nixon, American, 1912 - 1993
• Owned by: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (image): 9 3/16 × 7 3/8 in. (23.3 × 18.8 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (sheet): 11 × 8 3/8 in. (28 × 21.2 cm)
• Place captured: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Local and regional
• Topic: Politics
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Women
• Object number: A2022.13.1.108
• 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: © George Clifton Cabell Estate Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.