Hard hat worn by Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett during cleanup of Ground Zero

Object Details

Manufactured by

Jackson Products, Inc.

Worn by

Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, American

Subject of

International Union of Operating Engineers, American, founded 1896

Caption

This hard hat was worn by Elizabeth “Queen Ann” Burnett while working at the World Trade Center “Ground Zero” site in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. A member of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Burnett worked as an operating engineer maintaining and operating the heavy equipment used in the clean-up efforts. Growing up in New York City, Burnett was drawn to the construction trades and became a dock builder at the age of 18. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, she landed an apprenticeship with the IUOE Local 15 in 1993 and began working all over New York City and New Jersey as an operating engineer.

Burnett began working in Ground Zero shortly after the World Trade Center collapsed. For nearly a year, she worked 12, 24, and, even, 36-hour shifts helping to remove 1.6 million tons of construction materials, and human remains, from the site. She’s one of the many women and men working on the clean-up site who suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In an effort to cope, she converted the back of her SUV to an art studio and began handcrafting her unique shadowbox artworks.

This hard hat and the other artifacts from Burnett in the NMAAHC collection serve as important reminders of the sacrifices of the thousands of round-the-clock construction workers who helped America to rebuild after a grievous loss.

Description

A hard hat worn by Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, an operating engineer, during clean up of the World Trade Center "Ground Zero" site in New York City. The hat is composed of a white plastic covered in a peeling yellow and silver reflective material. The exterior of the hat is covered in stickers and signatures. The interior of the hat has a four-point suspension fitting band controlled by ratchet at the front to tighten or loosen fit. Raised text on band reads [USE WITH / HARD HAT / SC-6 / SC-3 / SC-16 / SC-10 / HEAD SIZE / 6 1/2-8 / 52-64 CM]. Edge of brim has duct tape at front, back, and both sides. The underside of brim at front has raised Jackson Products, Inc. logo above raised text that reads [JACKSON PRODUCTS]. On underside of hat, partially obscured by headband, is a warning label in red text on white sticker with Morsafe and Aden brand logos. Underside of crown of hat reads [EN 357 SC-3 52-64CM / -30°C 440VAC CE96 0194] in raised text.

The exterior of hat is signed in several places with faded black marker. Writing at front reads [La Rue CD / OKC, OK / USMC / (signature)], writing at proper right back reads [L Cpl / Lev Color / USMC / --> / 2/25 / WP / CO], and writing at back proper left is illegible.

Sticker at slight proper right reads [HOGS & HEIFERS / SALOON·NYC®] in red text on white sticker with black-and-white cow at center; sticker at top front, black ink on clear sticker, has an American flag and reads [Never forget... / 9/11/01]; small sticker at top front depicts cartoon characters Magilla Gorilla and Ogee; sticker at front, white text on blue sticker, depicts American flag and reads [IUOE LOCAL 15, A,B,C & D / PROUD TO BE (cross-out) ME (cross-out)]; sticker at front left has red, white, blue, and black ink depicting American flag background, construction crane, and reads [ALL / Erection & Crane / Rental Corp. / (216) 524-6356]; sticker at front right depicts New York Yankees logo in the negative with black ink; sticker at front bottom, black ink on clear sticker, reads [Yankees, baby!!]; and sticker at slight proper left reads [WE / (American flag in shape of heart) / NEW YORK / COURTESY REGENCY LABELS·OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA].

Sticker at top proper left is blue and white and reads [SAFETY TRAINED]; circular sticker at middle proper left is red, white, and blue and reads [INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS / ORGANIZED DEC. 7, 1896 · LABOR OMNIA VINCIT ·] and depicts a steam gauge; and sticker at lower proper left has black and red text reading [GROUND ZERO / WTC-7 / WELCOME TO HELL] with depictions of the World Trade Center towers forming the 'L's.

Sticker at back, top proper left reads [I WORK / SAFE] in red and white text and features stars and stripes motif and hatted and gloved figure, [EROC] is written in marker at bottom; sticker at back, lower proper left depicts the American flag waving in front of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center; circular sticker at back is red, white, and blue and reads [INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS / ORGANIZED DEC. 7, 1896 · LABOR OMNIA VINCIT ·] and depicts a steam gauge; sticker at lower back is blue with white text, depicts the Williamsburg Bridge, and reads [WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE PARTNERING BUILDS BRIDGES / CONTRACT / 7 / NORTH ROADWAYS RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT / NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION / FHWA NYSDOT YONKERS PTG-STEINMAN CTE ENGINEERS]; and sticker at back, lower proper right is white with black text and depicts I-beams in the shape of a cross and reads [FDNY NYPD PAPD / WTC / EMS / 9*11*01 / MEDC-R / LOCAL 1, 2, 3, 14, 15, 40, 45, 79, 94, 157, 282, 608, 731, 1010, 1018, 1152, 1456, 1536].

Sticker at top proper right is in the shape of a fire department shield outlined in yellow, depicts the pre-9/11 skyline of lower Manhattan in black over an American flag background, and reads [F.D.N.Y. / 9-11-01 / IN MEMORY OF / OUR FALLEN HEROES]; black text at middle proper right reads [GROUND ZERO / 9/11/01]; and sticker at lower proper right is gray with black text, depicts the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center at top right, and reads [DAKOTA / ROADHOUSE / 43 PARK PLACE (CHURCH & WEST B'WAY)].

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, Operating Engineer

2001

Object number

2021.68.1

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

hard hats

Medium

polyethylene with ink on paper and duct tape

Dimensions

H x W x D: 6 1/2 × 9 1/16 × 11 9/16 in. (16.5 × 23 × 29.3 cm)

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Tools and Equipment

Clothing - Fashion and Historical

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Clothing and dress

Communities

Health

Identity

Labor

Mental health

Skilled labor

U.S. History, 2001-

Record ID

nmaahc_2021.68.1

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a56da8f6-f822-410e-a3aa-73ea14e9ddb8