Object of the Day

Whitney Houston's Soul Train Trophy

January 26

This Soul Train trophy was awarded to Whitney Houston in 2000 as the "Artist of the Decade Award Female." The gold metal statuette features stylized figures similar to an African ceremonial mask.

Soul Train trophy for Artist of the Decade - Female given to Whitney Houston

Description
A Soul Train trophy given to Whitney Houston in 2000, called the "Soul Train Music Special Artist of the Decade Award for Extraordinary Artistic Achievements-Female." The award is a gold metal statuette affixed to a cube-shaped green marble base. The gold metal statuette features stylized figures similar to an African ceremonial mask. The front depicts a geometric female torso without arms and a head without facial features, wearing a geometric style headdress. The back depicts a geometric male torso without arms, also with a head without facial features, wearing a geometric style headdress. Extending out of the top of the headdress are four (4) smaller heads of a similar style to the main figures. One (1) smaller head extends directly above the female head and one (1) smaller head extends directly above the male head, each with one face. Two (2) smaller heads extend up from the headdress in between the male and female sides of the statuette. These heads have two identical faces, one facing out and the other facing in. On the front of the base is a gold plaque with etched text [WHITNEY HOUSTON/THE ARTIST OF THE/DECADE AWARD/FEMALE/SOUL TRAIN/MUSIC AWARDS - 2000]. The statuette bends at a slight angle from the torso, towards the side of the cube with the gold plaque.
The statuette is bolted into the marble base with a bolt that can be seen at the bottom of the base. On the head of the bolt, the letters [AJ] can be seen.
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Issued by
Soul Train, American, 1971 - 2006
Owned by
Whitney Houston, American, 1963 - 2012
Date
2000
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Estate of Whitney Houston
Medium
metal and marble
Dimensions
H x W x D: 13 15/16 × 3 1/8 × 3 1/8 in. (35.4 × 7.9 × 7.9 cm)
Type
trophies (prizes)