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The National Museum of American History...
...has recently received some interesting archival materials from none other than the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange. These materials, including photos, films, slides and more, depict every aspect of cotton farming, production, promotion, and also, the complete history the National Cotton Council's one-of-a-kind beauty pageant: the "Maid of Cotton."

     The National Cotton Council, or NCC, was founded in 1939 as the central trade association of the American cotton industry. Their unique pageant was held every December for a stretch of 54 years - from 1930 to 1993 - and was just apart of Memphis, Tennessee's extravagant Cotton Carnival festivities.

 The single, Southern gal deemed pretty, poised, and personable enough to be the year's official "Maid of Cotton" would soon begin her duties as world-wide cotton ambassador. Here, Janine Holland, Maid of Cotton 1951, enjoys her final fitting with designer Pierre Balmain in Paris, France. The Maids were the face of the commodity, advocating the fiber's elegant fashions and versatile functions. The archive of this pageant program helps researchers understand the relationship of beauty programs to American culture and the American advertising industry.

The Cotton Museum received this comprehensive collection of records as a gift from the NCC in 2008. We are now excited to be passing the treasure along. "Cotton has played a vital role in the development of American agriculture and in shaping American industry," said Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History."Through these documents, the museum can preserve the history of cotton and the long-standing traditions dedicated to it." The team archiving the collection at the American History museum consists of Theresa Worden and Shana Otlmans under the supervision of Archivist Franklin Robinson. The Archives Center is directed by Deborra Richardson. Craig Orr, Acquisitions Archivist, made the trip to Memphis and worked diligently assessing and packing the extensive materials for shipment to Washington D.C.  Ms. Otlmans updates the progress of the task on the museum's blog, read her comments by clicking here: Archival Intern Blog regarding the Maid of Cotton.

If you find yourself near the Smithsonian, be sure to pay them a visit and admire the newest display on the first floor. "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993". This exhibit will run through March 25, 2011, featuring photographs of the Maid of Cotton, Alice Hall (1939), and her predecessors-- some posing by famous international landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal!

"We are delighted to have an opportunity to donate these materials to the National Museum of American History for preservation," shares Cotton Museum founder and president of the board Calvin Turley. "We hope this is the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the Smithsonian and its museums."