US Forest Service badge worn by Melody Starya Mobley

Object Details

Issued by

United States Forest Service, founded 1905

Worn by

Melody Starya Mobley, American, born 1958

Subject of

Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, American, founded 1897

Caption

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.

Description

United States Forest Service issued badge worn by Melody Starya Mobley. The badge is brass toned and is the logo for the US Forest Service. At the center of the shield shaped badge is the relief depiction of a pine tree. Relief text surrounds the tree. At the top is slightly arched text that reads [FOREST SERVICE]. Below and on either side of the tree is [U] and [S]. Printed along the bottom of the badge is [DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE]. The background of the front of the shield is a small pebble texture. Attached to the back of the badge is a silver toned bar brooch pin with a safety clasp.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Melody Starya Mobley

ca. 1980

Object number

2019.80.4

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

uniforms

badges

Medium

metal

Dimensions

H x W x D: 1 5/8 × 1 7/16 × 3/8 in. (4.1 × 3.7 × 0.9 cm)

Place used

Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, United States, North and Central America

Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California, United States

Siskiyou County, California, United States, North and Central America

Ocala National Forest, Florida, United States, North and Central America

District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Tools and Equipment

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Agriculture

American West

Government

Labor

Nature

Record ID

nmaahc_2019.80.4

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5befaa41c-4742-4248-bee5-3d39f457ee95