Beret from the Black Power era

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A Black Power era beret with an embroidered symbol and motto. The beret is constructed from brown wool felt and edged with a black vinyl rim. Machine stitched on the center, front of the beret is gold block text that reads, [BLACK BY BIRTH / MILITANT BY CHOICE / FREE BY REVOLUTION]. To the left of the motto is black and gold thread embroidered Black Power salute fist. On the inside of the beret is a piece of paper, tucked into a plastic sleeve stitched to the lining with the number [58] handwritten in blue ink. A thin, pink sticky note has been taped to the front of the interior plastic sleeve with the text [M31993- 59/2] handwritten in blue ink.

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