This autographed conductor’s baton was sent to President Roosevelt on July 15, 1941 by the famous African American bandleader, jazz singer, and entertainer, Cab Calloway (1907-1994), who was celebrating his 10th anniversary as a bandleader. The baton was the one Calloway had been using since he started as an orchestra leader, and he considered it his most cherished possession. In his letter to FDR, Calloway writes that he is sending the baton “as a token of my expression of admiration for your sterling leadership in the affairs of the United States of America and your position and efforts towards the restoration of peace in Europe and Asia.”
