Press Pass Worn by Ethel L. Payne

Journalist Ethel L. Payne (1911-1991) wore this press pass while in Copenhagen, Denmark for the second of three conferences held by the United Nations during its Decade for Women (1976-1985). The United Nations’ logo appears in the upper left corner of the paper badge slid into a plastic sleeve and secured with a staple. Printed in the opposite corner is the Decade’s logo: a dove of peace that incorporates the symbol for woman and the equals, or equality, sign. Payne’s typewritten name and media affiliation follow below on the black-and-white badge. The globetrotting reporter covered the conference in her syndicated column, “Behind the Scenes,” for the Afro-American newspaper group. She also filed bylines at the opening and concluding meetings for the Decade, held in Mexico City (1975) and Nairobi, Kenya (1985). A Chicago native, Payne moved to Washington, DC in 1952 to cover national and international news. The lifelong civil rights activist reported from thirty countries over the course of her career, becoming known as the First Lady of the Black Press.