Manufactured by
Conqueror USA, American
Klopman International, Italian, founded 1968
Distributed by
Nudelman's, American
Worn by
Mobley, Melody Starya, American, born 1958
Subject of
United States Forest Service, founded 1905
Date
1977-1995
Medium
thread on polyester and cotton (textile) with plastic
Dimensions
H x W (Flat): 17 7/16 × 32 5/16 in. (44.3 × 82.1 cm)
Caption
Melody Starya Mobley was the first African American female forester of the USDA Forest Service (USFS), serving from June 1977 until her retirement in March 2005. She also was the first African American woman to graduate (in 1979) from the University of Washington College of Forest Resources (later renamed the School of Forest Resources in the College of the Environment). During her 28 years with the USFS she served in national forests all over the country. Most notably for this collection, she served in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington state from 1980-1982, Cleveland National Forest in Southern California from 1982-1986, held a temporary assignment in Klamath National Forest in Northern California, and finally served in Ocala National Forest in central Florida from 1986-1987. From 1988 until her retirement in 2005 she served in the USFS headquarters in Washington, D.C. In the mid-1990s, Mobley was given a temporary detail to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada where she served as Deputy Forest Supervisor.
Description
United States Forest Service uniform shirt worn by Melody Starya Mobley. The Dacron polyester-cotton blend, khaki green, long-sleeved shirt has a standard collar and buttons at the center front with six (6) round khaki green plastic buttons. There are two (2) front pockets, one at each front side chest. Each pocket closes with a flap that fastens at the center with one (1) button. An insignia patch in green and yellow embroidery with the US Forest Service logo is sewn on the top of left sleeve: a shield with a pine tree at the center with text surrounding the tree. At the top is slightly arched text that reads [FOREST SERVICE]. Below and on either side of the tree is [U] and [S]. Text along the bottom of the reads [DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]. The shirt is not lined. A white manufacturer's label for Nudelman’s is sewn at the interior center back neck with fiber content and manufacturing information below it in green and red embroidered text that reads [NUDELMAN’S / U.S. FOREST SERVICE / OFFICIAL DRESS SHIRT/ by Conqueror / PERMANENT PRESS / “COME CLEAN” TM / 65% DACRON POLYESTER-35% COMBED COTTON / KLOPMAN CONCEPT / POPLINE UNION MADE]. The number [5] is stamped in black ink above the manufacturer's label. Text stamped in black ink along the interior bottom left edge of the shirt reads [1[---?]551 / 6680 / 046 / [---?]] above a faded white tag. The back of the shirt and right sleeve are plain.
Place used
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, United States, North and Central America
Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California, United States, North and Central America
Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California, United States, North and Central America
Ocala National Forest, Florida, United States, North and Central America
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Type
shirts
uniforms
Topic
Agriculture
American West
Clothing and dress
Government
Labor
Nature
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Melody Starya Mobley
Object number
2019.80.11
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5c57d1374-41cf-4ab2-a20e-2cb0ba93a5f4

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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