NMAAHC Collections Search

Medal of Honor bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

Issued by: United States Congress, American, founded 1789
Received by: Sergeant Charlton, Cornelius H., American, 1929 - 1951
Subject of: United States Army, American, founded 1775

Medium: Medal: metal, brass, gold plating, and enamel;; Neck and service ribbons: silk;; Case: plastic, brass, and velvet
Dimensions: Medal: H x W x D: 2 1/4 × 1 1/2 × 1/16 in. (5.7 × 3.8 × 0.2 cm); Neck Ribbon: H x W: 1 1/4 × 22 in. (3.2 × 55.9 cm); Service Ribbon: H x W x D: 1 7/16 × 3/8 × 1/8 in. (3.7 × 1 × 0.3 cm); Case: H x W x D: 6 5/8 × 3 5/16 × 1 1/16 in. (16.8 × 8.4 × 2.7 cm)

Type: medals

Date: 1952

Description: The medal (.1a) consists of a gold five pointed star, each point tipped with trefoils, surrounded by a green laurel wreath and suspended from a gold bar inscribed [VALOR], surmounted by an eagle. In the center of the star is Minerva’s head surrounded by the words [UNITED STATES OF AMERICA]. On each ray of the star is a green oak leaf. On the recto, the bar is engraved with [THE CONGRESS TO] with [SGT/CORNELIUS H./CHARLTON/CO C. 24TH INF REGT/25TH INF DIV.USA] engraved on the star.; The neck ribbon (.1b) is blue silk with two snaps on either end for the wearer to attach the ribbon around his neck. The center of the ribbon is covered in blue silk with 13 white stars.; The service ribbon (.2) is a rectangular bar covered in blue silk with five white stars.; The case (.3) has a clear plastic top with blue velvet and gold bordered insert.

Topic: African American; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ray R. and Patricia A.D. Charlton in memory of Cornelius H. Charlton

Object number: 2013.165.1.1ab-.3

Restrictions & Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton Collection
Classification: Awards and Medals
Exhibition: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
On View: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053A

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Purple Heart medal bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

Issued by: United States Army, American, founded 1775
Received by: Sergeant Charlton, Cornelius H., American, 1929 - 1951

Medium: metal, enamel, bronze, ribbon
Dimensions: Purple Heart Medal (2.1): 3 3/8 × 1 9/16 × 3/8 in. (8.6 × 4 × 1 cm); Case (2.2) - Closed: 1 3/8 × 3 9/16 × 6 9/16 in. (3.5 × 9 × 16.7 cm); Case (2.2) - Open: 7 × 3 9/16 × 6 7/8 in. (17.8 × 9 × 17.5 cm)

Type: medals

Date: 1952

Description: The Purple Heart award is a heart-shaped medal within a gold border, 1 inch (35 mm) wide, containing a profile of General George Washington. Above the heart appears a shield of the coat of arms of George Washington (a white shield with two red bars and three red stars in chief) between sprays of green leaves. The reverse consists of a raised bronze heart with the words FOR MILITARY MERIT below the coat of arms and leaves. The ribbon is 1 inch (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes: (3 mm) white 67101; (29 mm) purple 67115; and (3 mm) white 67101.

Topic: African American; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ray R. and Patricia A.D. Charlton in memory of Cornelius H. Charlton

Object number: 2013.165.2.1-.2

Restrictions & Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton Collection
Classification: Awards and Medals
Exhibition: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
On View: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

James Monroe High School Hall of Fame coin honoring Sgt. Cornelius H. Charlton

Issued by: James Monroe High School, American, 1924 - 1994
Subject of: Sergeant Charlton, Cornelius H., American, 1929 - 1951

Medium: metal
Dimensions: Diameter: 2 × 1/8 in. (5.1 × 0.3 cm)

Type: coins

Date: 1969

Description: Bronze colored coin with [James Monroe High School/June 6, 1969] in a square frame surrounded by a laurel and oak wreath on recto. On verso is a Greek woman holding a torch in her left hand with [HALL OF FAME/Cornelius Charlton Posthumously] inscribed.

Topic: African American; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Ray R. and Patricia A.D. Charlton in memory of Cornelius H. Charlton

Object number: 2013.165.3

Restrictions & Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton Collection
Classification: Awards and Medals

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

William Saunders Oral History Interview

Created by: Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009
Interview of: Saunders, William, American, born 1935
Interviewed by: Taylor, Kieran Walsh
Subject of: Jenkins, Esau, American, 1910 - 1972; Highlander Folk School, American; Charleston Hospital Workers Movement

Medium: digital
Dimensions: Duration: 01:23:43

Type: video recordings; oral histories; digital media - born digital

Place collected: Charleston, Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted: Johns Island, Charleston+County"&edan_local=1&op=Search">Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America

Date: June 9, 2011

Description: The oral history consists of four digital files: 2011.174.27.1a, 2011.174.27.1b, 2011.174.27.1c, and 2011.174.27.1d.; William Saunders remembers his childhood on Johns Island, South Carolina, and working with Esau Jenkins, a local civil rights leader. He recalls serving in the army during the Korean War, attending the Highlander Folk School, and working at a mattress factory. He also discusses founding the Lowcountry Newsletter, helping the workers in the Charleston Hospital Strike of 1969, and running unsuccessfully for the state senate.; LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0027

Topic: African American; Activism; American South; Civil rights; Education; Korean War, 1950-1953; Labor; Mass media; Politics (Practical); Social reform; United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number: 2011.174.27.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights: © Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: Civil Rights History Project
Classification: Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Clarence B. Jones, Ph.D. Oral History Interview

Created by: Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009
Interview of: Jones, Clarence B. Ph.D., American, born 1931
Interviewed by: Cline, David P. Ph. D., American, born 1969
Subject of: Dr. King, Martin Luther Jr., American, 1929 - 1968; March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, American, founded 1963; Columbia University, American, founded 1754; Norton, Anne Aston Warder, American; Boston University School of Law, American, founded 1872

Medium: digital
Dimensions: Duration: 02:43:08

Type: video recordings; oral histories; digital media - born digital

Place collected: Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America; New York, United States, North and Central America; Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America; California, United States, North and Central America

Date: April 15, 2013

Description: The oral history consists of twelve digital files: 2011.174.84.1a, 2011.174.84.1b, 2011.174.84.1c, 2011.174.84.1d, 2011.174.84.1e, 2011.174.84.1f, 2011.174.84.1g, 2011.174.84.1h, 2011.174.84.1i, 2011.174.84.1j, and 2011.174.84.1k, 2011.174.84.1l.; Dr. Clarence B. Jones shares memories from his work as a legal advisor and speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In particular, he describes his significant contributions to the "I Have a Dream" speech, which King delivered at the March on Washington in 1963. Jones also describes his early life living in a Philadelphia home for indigent black orphans and foster children, because his parents, who were both domestic workers, could not afford to provide for him. Jones talks about his education at Columbia University, his training as a classical clarinetist, and some of his early encounters with leftist politics while in New York. Jones discusses the death of his mother and the profound effect it had on him. He describes his time spent in the military during the Korean War. Other topics discussed in the interview include Jones's marriage to Anne Norton, his studies at Boston University Law School, and his move to California to become an entertainment lawyer.; LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0084

Topic: African American; Children; Civil rights; Education; Instrumentalists (Musicians); Korean War, 1950-1953; Law; Military; United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number: 2011.174.84.1a-l

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: Civil Rights History Project
Classification: Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Edward Theodore Taylor Oral History Interview

Created by: National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
Recorded by: Patrick Telepictures, Inc., American
Interview of: Taylor, Edward Theodore, American, born 1932
Interviewed by: Navies, Kelly Elaine, American
Subject of: United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775

Medium: digital
Dimensions: Duration (2016.129.6.1a): 95.9 minutes; Duration (2016.129.6.2a): 92.9 minutes

Type: video recordings; oral histories; digital media - born digital

Place collected: Randallstown, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted: Wicomico County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America

Date: July 18, 2016

Description: The oral history consists of 2016.129.6.1a and 2016.129.6.2a: two versions (unedited, and edited) of a single digital video recording.; 152.84613 GB; Edward Taylor was interviewed as part of the NMAAHC Donor Oral History Collection. Mr. Taylor donated a photograph of himself that was taken in Korea during the Korean War to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He was 19 years old at the time the photograph was taken.; Edward Taylor vividly recounts his childhood in the segregated world of Maryland’s eastern shore, including a particularly tragic incident involving racial violence. He continues on to tell the story of his experience as a combat infantryman during the Korean War, after the US military had been recently integrated. This story includes the tale of how he earned two Purple Hearts. Later, after he returns to the United States, he recounts a racial incident that lead him to discard his Purple Hearts in the Chesapeake Bay. The last part of the interview is devoted to his role as a pioneering educator in the desegregation of the public schools in Wicomico County, Maryland.; Unedited File: Unedited digital file of oral history interview. This file is necessary in case we need to refer to the original recording for any reason and/or want to use a portion of the file that has been edited out.; Edited File: Videographer has minimized or eliminated interruptions, false starts and any unnecessary sounds. An agreed upon slate has also been added with title, date, and logo. Separate files of the same interview have been concatenated. This is the copy that will be made available to the public and/or researchers and uploaded to the website.

Topic: African American; Civil rights; Communities; Education; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military; Museums; Race discrimination; Segregation; United States--History--1953-1961; United States--History--1961-1969; Violence

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number: 2016.129.6.1a-2a

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title: The Collection Donor Oral History Project
Classification: Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

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Medal of Honor bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

Purple Heart medal bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

James Monroe High School Hall of Fame coin honoring Sgt. Cornelius H. Charlton

William Saunders Oral History Interview

Clarence B. Jones, Ph.D. Oral History Interview

Edward Theodore Taylor Oral History Interview

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Medal of Honor bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

Purple Heart medal bestowed on Sergeant Cornelius H. Charlton

James Monroe High School Hall of Fame coin honoring Sgt. Cornelius H. Charlton

William Saunders Oral History Interview

Clarence B. Jones, Ph.D. Oral History Interview

Edward Theodore Taylor Oral History Interview