World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimage Medal issued to Mrs. Margaret A. Neal
date: label: Date
content: 1930
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Bailey Banks & Biddle, American, founded 1832
label: Owned by
content: Margaret A. Neal, American
label: Subject of
content: Second Lieutenant Ralph T. Neal, American, 1890 - 1918
label: Subject of
content: Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, French, founded 1918
notes: label: Description
content: 2019.16a: A World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimage medal issued to Mrs. Margaret A. Neal of Massachusetts, in commemoration of her pilgrimage to her stepson's, Second Lieutenant Ralph T. Neal's, gravesite at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France. This medal is a composite object: a gold toned, nameplate bar pin with a safety catch, holding a red, white, and blue ribbon, attached to a gold medal. The front of the bar pin has a small relief frame with relief text that reads [Mrs. Margaret A. Neal / Massachusetts]. The ribbon is looped over a pin at the bottom of the bar pin and held in place with thread. The medal is attached to the bottom of the ribbon. It is gold toned and roughly teardrop shaped. The obverse is dominated by a five-pointed star at the center of the medal. The star is set inside a circular frame with relief text that reads [PILGRIMAGE OF MOTHERS AND WIDOWS]. Wrapped around the bottom of the circular frame is a wreath. At the top of the medal is the Great Seal of the United States: a bald eagle with its wings displayed, holding a bundle of thirteen (13) arrows in its left talon and an olive branch in its right talon. In its beak the eagle clutches a scroll with the motto [E PLURIBUS] and [UNUM]. Over the eagle’s head there is ring of circular clouds with a starburst at the center. Within the cloud ring is a cluster of thirteen (13) five-pointed stars. A striped shield covers the eagle's breast. Below the seal are two partial American flags. On the reverse of the medal at the top is a stamped maker’s mark for Bailey Banks & Biddle that reads [B.B.B.CO. / ©]. Along the bottom edge are stamped numbers that read [6479].
label: Description
content: 2019.16b: A royal blue medal presentation box for World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimage Medal issued to Mrs. Margaret A. Neal (2019.16a). The box is royal blue with a faux leather finish and a white satin padded insert. At the center of the box is a white, outlined five-pointed star set inside a circular frame with relief text that reads [PILGRIMAGE OF MOTHERS AND WIDOWS]. Below is white text that reads [GUEST OF THE UNITED STATES]. The lid interior has small, centered white text that reads [THE / ·BAILEY·BANKS&·BIDDLE· / ·COMPANY· / Philadelphia]. Below and to the left is additional text that reads [DEPARTMENT OF INSIGNIA]. The lid is hinged to the base with glued black fabric. The box contains a folded piece of yellow tissue paper.
place: label: Place made
content: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Meuse, France, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Families
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Motherhood
label: Topic
content: World War I
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
label: Exhibition
content: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2019.16ab
objectType: label: Type
content: commemorative medals
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: 2019.16a (medal): copper and copper alloy and silk (textile)
label: Medium
content: 2019.16b (box): ink on cardboard with paper (fiber product) and satin
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (2019.16a): 3 3/16 × 1 5/8 × 1/4 in. (8.1 × 4.2 × 0.6 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (2019.16b): 11/16 × 2 1/2 × 4 1/4 in. (1.8 × 6.3 × 10.8 cm)