Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Zachary Taylor Masonic Mourning Ribbon; printed white silk ribbon with portrait of Zachary Taylor in military uniform, facing left; above and below reads "Tribute/ to/ Departed Worth/ Zachary Taylor,/ Died July 9, 5850."; at top, a Masonic square and compasses; below, two interlaced triangles forming the six-pointed star of Solomon's Seal.

Marchers wearing ribbons on clothing and hats at processions to identify them as members of a group is long-standing tradition. Often printed on silk and pinned to garments, ribbons worn at processions were intended to be used just once or only a handful of times. Few ribbons from the early 1800s survive to the present day. A portrait of Zachary Taylor, the twelfth President of the United States, was printed on this ribbon. The black outline surrounding the portrait, along with the 1850 date, suggest that this ribbon was intended to be displayed at an event commemorating Taylor’s sudden death. Incorporating a square and compasses, the design on this ribbon reflects the mistaken belief, held by many in Taylor’s lifetime, that the former hero of the Mexican War was a Freemason.