Search Results

Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

38 Cubic feet (90 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Videocassettes

Slides (photographs)

Scrapbooks

Reports

Programs

Photographs

Photograph albums

Audiotapes

Place:

Memphis (Tenn.)

Date:

1939-1994

Summary:

The Maid of Cotton (MOC) beauty pageant was sponsored by the National Cotton Council, Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans from 1939-1993. The contest was held annually in Memphis, Tennessee until the National Cotton Council and Cotton Council International moved to Dallas, Texas. Beginning with the 1985 pageant (held December 1984) the competition was held in Dallas. The pageant was discontinued in 1993 due to lack of funds, a sponsor, and changes in marketing strategies. The records include files on contestants, photographs, and scrapbooks.

Scope and Contents:

The collection contains the records for the Maid of Cotton pageant (1939-1993) sponsored by the National Cotton Council (NCC), Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans. The collection consists of approximately 38 cubic feet of records created by the NCC in the course of operating the Maid of Cotton contest from 1939 to 1993. The records form the complete archive of this fifty-four year program. The records include administrative files, scrapbooks, photographs, slides, and videotapes.

"One of the main values of the Maid of Cotton collection is its completeness. These are all of the official records of the program, documenting all of its activities throughout its entire existence from 1939 to 1993. As such, it represents a truly unique documentary record and opportunity for research.

Beauty contests have been the subject of serious scholarly study for many years. A search of WorldCat reveals over fifty books on the topic. Scholars have found the subject to be a fruitful springboard from which to study a wide variety of topics, primarily centered around issues of beauty, femininity, culture values, national identity, racism, and feminism.

Beauty pageants serve as symbols that reflect the values of American culture. For example, pageant winners have symbolized the advances made by formerly disenfranchised groups. Vanessa Williams, the first African American to win the Miss America crown (1983), rewrote the definition of beauty in America, and Heather Whitestone, the first deaf Miss America (1995), proved that physical handicaps need not hold anyone back from their dreams. Pageants can provide a focus for the re-examination of our society and culture. The tragic murder of six-year-old Jonbenet Ramsey in 1996 provided a window into what author Susan Anderson calls "the extravagant world of child beauty pageants," that led to public debate about issues of motherhood and adolescence.

In addition, beauty pageants can be viewed in advertising terms: they are the ultimate expression of the tried and true adage that sex sells. All pageants have sponsors and all sponsors want their products to be seen in a positive light. Some sponsors are content to contribute goods and services to the contestants --a new car, a trip to the Caribbean, a fur coat, etc. --so that their generosity can be noted in the publicity surrounding the contest. Others prefer to sponsor the entire program. The Miss Universe contest, for example, was created in 1952 by the Jantzen Company specifically to enable the company to showcase pretty girls wearing its swimsuits. Jantzen abruptly withdrew its previous support of the Miss America pageant when Yolande Betbeze refused to wear a bathing suit during her reign as Miss America 1951. The Maid of Cotton pageant is a highly organized, year-long, very visible public relations program that allows the National Cotton Council to showcase the wonders of cotton through the wonders of young beauty queens. Attractive young women are the perfect vehicle for promoting fashionable fabrics made from cotton.

Cotton --the product at the heart of the Maid of Cotton program --has been central to American economic and political history. NMAH's collecting and research interests reflect this. The Division of Work & Industry contains numerous cotton-related objects and much documentation on the subject. The Archives Center holds several cotton-related collections, including the Peter Paul Haring Papers, 1897-1935, documenting Haring's development of cotton picking machinery; the Lockwood Greene collection of thousands of engineering drawings, many of which were for textile mills; the Robert L. Shurr Script and Scrapbook for a 1939 biographical motion picture on Dr. George Washington Carver; and the Southern Agriculture Oral History Project Records, 1985-1992, which documents modern cotton farming through photography and oral history interviews. In addition, all aspects of cotton production, from farm to factory to finished goods, are documented in several hundred photos in the Underwood & Underwood Agricultural Photonegative Collection, the Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, the Division of Work & Industry Lantern Slide Collection, and the Donald Sultner-Welles Photograph Collection. Cultural aspects of cotton can be discovered in both the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana and in the DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music." (Orr, Craig. "NMAH Collections Committee", memorandum, 2009)

Series 1, Organizational and Pageant Files, 1939-1993, undated., is arranged chronologically by year. Files may contain correspondence, photographs, news clippings, radio commercial scripts, tear sheets, itineraries, trip reports, sheet music, legal documents, waivers, and permissions, and other material related to the Maid of Cotton pageant for that year. Files may also contain subsequent personal information on the Maid of Cotton for that year, for example change of address, news clippings, and the like. This series contains finalist files, trip files and tour report files.

Series 2, Photographs, Slides, and Transparencies, 1939-1994, undated., is arranged chronologically by year. This series contains photographs, slides, and transparencies related to the Maid of Cotton and her travels throughout the United States and overseas. It also contains photographs of the fashions worn by each Maid.

Series 3, Scrapbooks, 1951-1988, contains the scrapbooks created by the National Cotton Council office as well as scrapbooks created by the Maids themselves or others for her. Scrapbooks most often contain news clippings, ephemera, and sometimes correspondence.

Series 4, Audio-Visual, 1991-1993. This series contains video and audio related to the Maid of Cotton. It is currently unprocessed.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into four series.

Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files, 1939-1993, undated

Subseries 1.1: Maid of Cotton files, 1939-1993

Subseries 1.2: Little Miss Cotton, 1956-1963, undated

Series 2: Photographs, Slides, and Transparencies, 1939-1994, undated

Subseries 2.1: Photographic Negatives and Transparencies, 1939-1993, undated

Subseries 2.2: Slides, 1939-1993, undated

Series 3: Scrapbooks, 1951-1988

Series 4: Audio-Visual, 1991-1993, undated

Biographical / Historical:

The Maid of Cotton pageant began in 1939. The annual pageant was sponsored by the National Cotton Council (NCC), Memphis Cotton Carnival, and the Cotton Exchanges of Memphis, New York, and New Orleans. The pageant was held in Memphis, Tennessee, in conjunction with the Carnival until the 1980s.

In mid-December every year the NCC released a list of contestants. Contestants were required to have been born in one of the cotton-producing states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas or Virginia. They might have also been born in the cotton-producing counties of Alexander, Jefferson, Massac, Pulaski, Williamson or Madison, Illinois or in Clark or Nye counties of Nevada. There were usually twenty contestants each year.

Contestants were judged on personality, good manners, intelligence, and family background as well as beauty and an ability to model. A Top Ten were chosen and then a Top Five, and finally second and first runners up and a winner. Winners served as goodwill and fashion ambassadors of the cotton industry in a five-month, all-expense tour of American cities. In the mid-1950s the tour expanded globally. In the late 1950s a Little Miss Cotton pageant was begun but lasted only until 1963 before being discontinued. In the mid-1980s Dallas,Texas took over the pageant, in conjunction with the NCC and its overseas division, Cotton Council International. In 1986, to bolster interest and participation, the NCC eliminated the rule requiring contestants to be born in a cotton-producing state. The pageant was discontinued in 1993, one of the reasons being that Cotton Inc. stopped contributing scholarship money as well as waning public interest and changing marketing strategies. (pageantopolis.com website accessed April 2012.)

"The National Cotton Council is the official trade association of the cotton industry. The NCC was founded in 1939 to promote the interests of cotton farmers, ginners, brokers, and manufacturers from the Southern, cotton-growing states. Its mission evolved over the years as new uses for cotton and its byproducts have been found; as competition from synthetic fibers developed; as fashion tastes changed; as government regulation increased; and in response to foreign competition in both farming and manufacturing . The NCC website states that its modern-day mission is "to ensure the ability of all U.S. cotton industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad." Throughout its existence, the NCC has been the contact point for issues affecting its members, legislators in Congress, allied agribusiness, and consumers.

One of the first NCC programs undertaken by to promote the versatility and value of cotton to consumers was the Maid of Cotton program, begun in 1939. This consisted of a beauty pageant open to young women born in one of the seventeen southern cotton growing states. The contestants were evaluated on the basis of beauty, personality, poise, good manners, and intelligence; a family background in cotton production was especially helpful. The girls had to apply for selection to compete in the program. At first this was done directly to the Memphis-based program but eventually a system of state Maid of Cotton programs were established, whose winners went on to compete in the national Maid of Cotton contest. The Maid of Cotton received numerous prizes, whose value and variety tended to increase over the years. In the late 1940s, the program added a scholarship prize, probably in emulation of the Miss America contest. The Maid of Cotton pageant was held each December in Memphis as part of that city's Cotton Carnival festivities. The winner was featured prominently on her own float in the Cotton Carnival parade, was feted at prestigious Carnival events, and was treated as royalty wherever she went. Selection as the Maid of Cotton carried a high degree of status and mature ladies in the South to this day proudly identify themselves as such.

The Maid of Cotton's main function, once crowned, was to serve as a goodwill and fashion ambassador for cotton; any publicity she gained was automatically positive publicity for the cotton industry. Accompanied by an NCC-appointed manager, the Maids embarked on an all-expenses-paid tour. The Maids appeared in full regalia at public events such as county fairs, parades, and holiday events; starred in fashion shows featuring all-cotton outfits; gave speeches to local chambers of commerce and other groups; and in general were the attractive personification of the cotton industry wherever they went. At first, the tours concentrated on the cotton states but they were later extended to major cities outside the cotton belt and came to include visits to legislators on Capitol Hill. Beginning in the mid-1950s, the Maids began touring internationally and in the 1970s and 1980s they frequently headed up fashion shows in Asia.

Over time, however, the publicity value of an industry-anointed beauty queen lost its attraction both to the public and --more importantly --to the press. In addition, the role of cotton in the South, particularly in Memphis, declined. In 1986 the contest was moved from Memphis to Dallas. Eventually the cotton industry withdrew its support for the program's scholarships; the 1993 Maid of Cotton was the last to be crowned." (Orr, Craig. "NMAH Collections Committee", memorandum, 2009)

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

National Cotton Council Records, circa 1960s-1980s (AC1177)

Southern Agriculture Oral History Project Records, 1986-1991 (AC0773)

Provenance:

This collection was donated by the Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange on October 14, 2009.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Genre/Form:

Videocassettes

Slides (photographs)

Scrapbooks -- 20th century

Reports

Programs -- 20th century

Photographs -- 20th century

Photograph albums -- 20th century

Audiotapes

Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1176

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1176

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Bernard, Nancy  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No.6.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000009.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Nancy Bernard

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref690

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Hall, Alice B.  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 9" x 7".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000010.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1930-1940

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Hall

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref691

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Cano, Antonio, Dr.  Search this

Faulkner, DeLois  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 5" x 7".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Place:

Colombia

Scope and Contents:

Medellin, Colombia, Dec. 1955. Maid of Cotton tours Tejicondor cotton mill with Dr. Antonio Cano, plant manager as host. Woven design for bedspreads and drapes in on loom

Arrangement:

Box No. 3 (blue photo box)

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000011.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / DeLois J. Faulkner

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref692

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Carl, Jann  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 11" x 8-1/2".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Place:

Hong Kong

Scope and Contents:

Swing Store Fashion Show, April 11, 1982, Hong Kong.

Arrangement:

Box No. Photo album box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000012.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1980-1990 -- Color photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 3: Scrapbooks / Jann Teresa Carl

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref693

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

1960.

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000013.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Sandra Lee Jennings

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref694

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Buntz, Madilyn  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 7-1/4" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Place:

Tennessee

Memphis (Tenn.)

Scope and Contents:

Maid of Cotton Scrapbook, 1957.

Arrangement:

Folder: Loose Materials Folder.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000014.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 3: Scrapbooks / Helen Landon

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref695

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Landon, Helen  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No. ? Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000015.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Helen Landon

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref696

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Spiller, Anna  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No.13.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000016.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Anna Spiller

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref697

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Spiller, Anna  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 3-1/2" x 4-1/4".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

Head shot.

Arrangement:

Box No. 13.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000017.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1990-2000 -- Color photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Anna Spiller

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref698

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Corr, Alice  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

"Alice Corr, 1953 Maid of Cotton, is all set for a gala evening. She's distinctively gowned by Celia Phillips of Frank Starr in black-on-white printed organdie-- a dress calculated to make any girl the belle of the ball. Jet sequins outline the print in the bodice and are scattered throughout the skirt. A high-rising sash nips in the waistline, bells out the full skirt. The organdie is by Menke Liberman with a Heberlein finish. Coro jewelry. Dawnelle gloves."

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue file box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000018.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Julia Corr

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref699

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Photographer:

Hillmer, Davis B.  Search this

Names:

Corr, Alice  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8-1/4".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

A photograph of Alice Corr as part of a cotton textiles display at The J.L.Hudson Company department store in Detroit , Michigan. Davis B. Hillmer, photographer, 8228 Woodward Ave., Detroit 2, Michigan.

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000019.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Julia Corr

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref700

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Pack, Beverly  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8-1/4" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

Photograph of Beverly Pack as part of a window display at Kesslar's Department Store, Atlanta, Georgia.

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000020.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Beverly Louise Pack

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref701

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Pitcher, Michelle  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No.Blue file box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000021.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contestants  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Michelle Pitcher

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref702

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Mock, Melissa  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

In this photo, Melissa Mock is on the right, and on the left is Karen Starr, Manager of The Cottonworks at Cotton, Incorporated"s New York office.

Arrangement:

Box No. File box , folder: 1980 Photos.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000022.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Melissa Mock

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref703

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Cowden, Patricia Anne  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

Patricia Anne Cowden, speaking in front of an audience, 1956.

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photos box#3 , folder: 1956 Domestic Tour.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000023.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Patricia Anne Cowden

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref704

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Creator:

Purdy (photographer usda)  Search this

Names:

Beasley, Alice  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8-1/4".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

U.S.D.A. Photograph by Purdy. "No. 1 -- Alice Erle Beasley, 1941 Maid of Cotton, sitting atop a cotton-wrapped bale of cotton in the patio of the Department of Agriculture administration building, gives a miniature cotton-wrapped bale to Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard, of Indiana. The Secretary has in his hand an invitation to the Memphis Cotton Carnival, May 13-17, signed by Gov. Cooper. The cotton house of the Surplus Marketing Administration, Marketing Division, Department of Agriculture, is in the background."

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box, folder: 1941.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000024.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Erle Beasley

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref705

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Corr, Alice  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8" x 10".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

Alice Corr, walking on a runway in front of an audience, 1953. KIRVEN'S, Columbus, GA. Ray Martin, Planning Engineer.

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000025.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Julia Corr

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref706

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Corr, Alice  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 10" x 8".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Arrangement:

Box No. Blue photo box.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000026.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1940-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 1: Organizational and Pageant Files / 1.1: Maid of Cotton Files / Alice Julia Corr

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref707

Collector:

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange  Search this

Names:

Clark, Ellen  Search this

Collection Creator:

Cotton Museum (Memphis, Tennessee)  Search this

National Cotton Council  Search this

Extent:

1 Item (Silver gelatin on paper., 8-1/2" x 7-3/4".)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographs

Scope and Contents:

Pictured with President Jimmy Carter, 1977.

Arrangement:

Box No. photo file box #12.

Local Numbers:

AC1176-0000027.tif (AC Scan No.)

Exhibitions Note:

Displayed in Archives Center exhibition, "The Experience of a Lifetime: The Maid of Cotton Story, 1939-1993", from December 1, 2010 to March 25, 2011. Craig Orr, curator.

Collection Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but the negatives are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Collection Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Beauty contestants  Search this

Beauty contests -- United States  Search this

Cotton industry  Search this

Cotton textile industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- 1950-2000 -- Color photoprints

Collection Citation:

Maid of Cotton Records, 1939-1993, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

See more items in:

Maid of Cotton Records

Maid of Cotton Records / Series 2: Photographs, Slides, and Transparencies / Maid of Cotton, photographs with United States Presidents

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1176-ref708