US Forest Service metal hard hat worn by Melody Starya Mobley
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1982
name: label: Issued by
content: United States Forest Service, founded 1905
label: Manufactured by
content: Mine Safety Appliances Company, American, founded 1914
label: Worn by
content: Melody Starya Mobley, American, born 1958
label: Subject of
content: Cleveland National Forest, American, founded 1908
notes: label: Caption
content: 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.
label: Description
content: United States Forest Service issued aluminum hard hat worn by Melody Starya Mobley. The MSA McDonald T (model number 994378) adjustable hat for sizes 6 ½-7 ¾ is primarily constructed from molded aluminum. The interior has a dark gray plastic suspension frame with nylon strapping and a padded band at the forehead. At the top center of the padded band are the molded letters [MSA]. Threaded through external clips around the crown is a red satin ribbon tied into a bow at the front. Stamped along the top of the visor is block text that reads [US GOVERNMENT]. Stamped underneath the visor is block text that reads [McDONALD / T / CAP-STANDARD / MINE SAFETY APPLIANCES CO.]. Inside the hat is a white paper adhesive label with model number, patent information, compliance and manufacturer’s information, and a white paper adhesive warning label with care and cleaning instructions.
place: label: Place used
content: Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Ocala National Forest, Florida, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Agriculture
label: Topic
content: American West
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Labor
label: Topic
content: Nature
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Tools and Equipment
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Melody Starya Mobley
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2019.80.1
objectType: label: Type
content: hard hats
label: Type
content: uniforms
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: satin ribbon on aluminum shell with plastic and nylon interior
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 6 3/8 × 8 5/8 × 11 5/16 in. (16.2 × 21.9 × 28.8 cm)