Manufactured by
Unidentified
Distributed by
American Red Cross, American, founded 1881
Owned by
Lomax, Louise Virginia, American, 1920 - 2011
Date
mid to late 20th century
Medium
metal, enamel
Dimensions
Diameter: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
H x W x D: 7/8 × 7/8 × 3/16 in. (2.2 × 2.2 × 0.4 cm)
Caption
Louise Lomax attended the Saint Philip Hospital School of Nursing, a segregated nursing school that was part of the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. She graduated in September 1942 and passed her nursing examinations in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. She then applied for admission to the Army Nurse Corps (ANC). In order to be eligible for admission to the ANC, women were required to be a graduate of a nursing school, to be a registered professional nurse, to be a member of a national nursing organization, and to be a member of the American Red Cross.
Lomax joined the Army Nurse Corps (ANC) as a 2nd Lieutenant in March 1943 with the help of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses and trained as a psychiatric nurse at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. By September 1943 she was stationed at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, home of the Tuskegee Airmen. Lomax remained at Tuskegee during the war, where she was eventually promoted to 1st Lieutenant.
After the war, Lt. Lomax went on to serve at Lockbourne Army Air Base in Ohio; Provident Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland; at VA hospitals in Downey, Illinois; and Perry Point, Maryland; and finally at the Army’s Percy Jones General Hospital in Battle Creek, Michigan. Lt. Lomax retired from active duty in March 1949 and transferred to the Reserve Corps, where she served for four years. She was honorably discharged from the ANC in April 1953.
Description
An American Red Cross Volunteer pin worn by Lt. Louise Lomax. The pin is colored with bue, red and white painted enamel. A red cross inside a white background is at the center of the pin. This is circled with a blue border with gold lettering. The text on the pin reads [AMERICAN NATONAL RED CROSS VOLUNTEER].
Classification
Awards, Medals, and Insignia
Type
lapel pins
Topic
Associations and institutions
Medicine
Nursing
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pia Marie Winters Jordan in memory of her mother, First Lieutenant Louise Virginia Lomax Winters, Army Nurse Corps; and her uncle, Sgt. Henry James Lomax, U.S. Army
Object number
2022.42.2.2.2
Restrictions & Rights
Unknown – Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f0302c12-ef11-4cd2-87be-c0d3eaaff9b1

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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