The Treasures You Find in the Basement

Blog post by JMM archivist Lorie Rombro. You can read more posts by Lorie here.

When you work in a museum, collection storage is often in the basement. Some people may feel basements can be uncomfortable or frightening, but I truly love basements. Most of the time I go down knowing what I am looking for and its right were its supposed to be and that’s wonderful, but I do enjoy the times when it becomes a bit more of an adventure. My son said maybe it would be more exciting if I walked into the archives and a movie announcer voice said, “Welcome to the Archives” and began playing the Indiana Jones theme music. That would be incredible, but even without the music I feel like I can be on a quest of discovery.

 A few weeks ago, I was searching a collection of 3×5 negatives, mostly from the 1950’s and 1960’s. The negatives were donated by the photographer, Nat Lipsitz in 1980.  A Baltimore photographer, Nat Lipsitz worked with the Associated for nearly 30 years, as well as Israel Bonds, the Jewish National Fund, Zionist organizations, and other Jewish and non-Jewish groups. I was looking for Associated Jewish Charities, Women’s Division, G-Day photographs, and I was side tracked by the word “Fashion Show”. Its hard not to look at photographs of a fashion show, especially ones from the 1950’s and 1960’s. What I found were wonderful photographs of the Israel Bonds Fashion Shows!

In the January 5, 2015 Washington Post Obituary for Bess Meyerson, Adam Bernstein wrote:

“A raven-haired, hazel-eyed beauty who stood 5-foot-10, Ms. Myerson was a captivating figure from the moment she was named the first — and still only — Jewish Miss America. Born to immigrant Jews from Russia, she was raised in a Bronx housing project and embodied an up-from-poverty success story that made her an overnight sensation and possibly the best-known Miss America in the contest’s history.

For decades, she enjoyed something close to reverence among a generation of Jews who had lived through the Holocaust and found in her win a symbol of Jewish assimilation and acceptance in an otherwise hostile world.”

Ms. Meyerson would go on to be named the NYC commissioner of Consumer Affairs in 1969 and in 1980 name NYC commissioner of Cultural Affairs. She would have an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate in 1980 and loose in the Democratic primaries. She would also be charged with bribery and conspiracy charges in 1987. In all she had an incredibly interesting life and finding her photograph gave me a chance to learn more about her.

*As a footnote all the photographs are not identified – please email me if you know any of the women in the photographs!