Under the title "Saddam's Snake and Putin's Missile: The Hidden Messages of Madeleine Albright’s Pins," the Alhurra website published a report that discussed the political messages conveyed by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright through the brooches she adorned her outfits with. The site noted that Albright's achievements, as the first woman to hold the position of U.S. Secretary of State, were not limited to her numerous public stances; her jewelry contained "hidden political messages."
Everyone who experienced Albright's tenure will remember her characteristic brooches that she wore on various occasions. However, some may not know that some of these pieces of jewelry contained clear political positions. Recently, the "National Museum of American Diplomacy" announced a virtual exhibition allowing visitors to view the prominent pins of the former Secretary of State, their meanings, and the existence of those "hidden messages related to foreign policies."
The exhibition is titled "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection," featuring over 200 pins, most of which were part of a diverse wardrobe that Albright wore to convey a message before, during, and after her years of public service, including the years she led the State Department from 1997 to 2001. The exhibition's website indicates that "sometimes, these pins were used as charming tools reflecting the minister’s sense of humor and humanity, serving as visual educational tools for cultural diplomacy."
Among hundreds of pins, the exhibition highlighted four specific pins through which the American official conveyed different messages:
- **"The Snake" - 1997**
When Albright assumed the role of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1997, she criticized then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Saddam's poet described Albright as “an unmatched snake.” As she prepared to meet with Iraqi officials, Albright responded by wearing a pin shaped like a snake, even though she disliked those reptiles. This pin was seen as the beginning of Albright's notable diplomatic stances. It is made of 18-carat gold and adorned with diamonds.
- **"The Bee" - 1999**
The Secretary of State spent many hours trying to convince Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat about the importance of reaching peaceful solutions in the Middle East. The exhibition states that "the pin reflects her mood." The bee in American sayings refers to being busy with something, as in "busy as a bee." The pin is made of 14-carat rose gold and silver, set with diamonds and agate, reflecting Albright's efforts to find a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians.
- **"The Blue Bird" - 1996**
On February 24, 1996, Cuban military aircraft shot down two civilian planes between Cuba and the state of Florida. The pilots boasted about "breaking the will" of their victims, while Albright labeled them "cowards." She wore a pin shaped like a blue bird with its head pointed downward, expressing sorrow for the loss of four Cuban-American lives in the tragic attack. The blue bird's head was down to signify mourning, made of 14-carat white gold and silver, set with rubies and diamonds.
- **"Missile Defense" - 2000**
In 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged to his American counterpart, Bill Clinton, that he was always looking forward to seeing Albright's pins. On the first day of complex talks with Russian officials about nuclear weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov noticed her pin resembling an arrow and asked her, "Is this one of your interceptor missiles?" Albright replied, "Yes, and as you can see, we can make them very small, so it's better to be ready to negotiate." This pin is made of ionized aluminum and sent a message to Putin.
The virtual exhibition will become a reality. From 2009 to 2018, the collection of pins traveled through 22 museums and libraries. The exhibition site indicates that Albright's chief of staff at the State Department was a source of inspiration and the driving force behind the exhibition and the accompanying book titled "Read My Pins: Stories from the Diplomatic Jewelry Box."
The "Read My Pins" program has been loaned to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, and Albright plans to donate the exhibition to the museum upon completion of its establishment, with the museum set to open in 2024. The collection includes the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to the former secretary by President Barack Obama in 2012.
