While we typically write about the history, use and even the evolution of military sun helmets and other tropical headdress, I felt it necessary to address another aspect of sun/pith helmets. Recently, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump was called out for simply choosing to wear a pith helmet as a part of a “safari” inspired outfit.

The U.K.’s Guardian newspaper was among the first to call out Mrs. Trump, writing:

“Pith helmets were worn by European explorers and imperial administrators in Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East in the 19th century before being adopted by military officers, rapidly becoming a symbol of status – and oppression.

“Soldiers, guides and wildlife specialists replaced the pith helmet long ago with more practical and less controversial headgear, but they are still in ceremonial use in a handful of countries – and by tourists in Africa who have limited experience of local conditions and sensibilities.”

Critics quickly pounced on the First Lady, as did The New York Times and other media outlets, quoting Matthew Carotenuto, a coordinator of African Studies at St. Lawrence University who tweeted:

“It’s like showing up to a meeting of African-American cotton farmers in a Confederate uniform. Historical context matters.”

Yes, historical context matters, but Carotenuto is wrong when he made the unfair comparison of a pith/sun helmet to a Confederate uniform. Pith/sun helmets have long been seen in movies and TVs as an iconic symbol of safaris, explorers and even lion tamers – even if few people ever actually went on safari or tamed a lion, not to mention the helmets were only used by a few explorers over the eons!

The sun helmet – a term I prefer as different materials were used and sola pith was simply one of them – is today worn by police around the world and by postal carriers in the United States. It is only a symbol of colonial oppressors because today’s overly politically correct culture has decided it to be so. Had Mrs. Trump not worn the helmet few people would have considered it as one. But the American (and European for that matter) media’s hatred of the Trumps simply put the poor helmet in the crosshairs.

However, making the sun helmet the symbol of the oppressors is akin to making all eye patches the symbol of pirates – but even in today’s PC culture pirates, buccaneers and other high-seas scoundrels are seen as romantic adventurers from another era. While it seems we must wipe away the thought of men in sun helmets defending a remote outpost – ala the movie Zulu – as it depicts colonial oppressors, pirates remain in vogue in Disney films and theme park rides.

Another important aspect is the sun helmet did come about because of the British presence in India, the Spanish presence in the Philippines and yes the European “Scramble for Africa,” but the helmets were made not to make it easier for the Europeans to conquer indigenous peoples, but to endure the intense sun in the harsh climates of far off lands. And yes, it was worn by colonial officials, so it is easy to see why it has become associated with colonial oppression.

But the helmets were used by those oppressed powers as well – notably the Vietnamese first in a war against the French and then against the Americans. It simply proved to be the right military headdress for the job. The Japanese also adopted sun helmets prior to World War II, as did the Chinese Army in its war with Japan. Thus the association with Europeans alone is not only unfair but inaccurate.

Moreover, it should be noted that when discussing the military role of sun helmets, more were worn by the armies of Europe when they faced each other than in all of their respective colonial campaigns combined! Sun helmets were widely worn by German, Italian, British and French soldiers in the World Wars and to collectors of military headdress those are the most commonly collected versions.

The Europeans also saw uses for the helmets beyond war. The British, Dutch, French and Portuguese all produced helmets for civilians and not just for safari. The helmets were worn by workers on plantations around the world and not just by the white Europeans.

American industry saw a use for the sun helmet between the World Wars. While that “pressed fiber helmet” grew out of a British design, it was marketed to industry including farmers and those in rural construction projects where a hard hat wasn’t required. That same helmet served American soldiers as a training helmet in World War II, and remains in use on the rifle ranges today, but it is the pattern adopted by the United States Postal Service as well.

In other words, the sun helmet is only a symbol of colonialism and imperialism because the media has dubbed it to be so. It is unfair to the helmet’s history, but all this also shows how the media has largely focused on just one aspect of the story.

The opinions presented are those of the author alone and not of the other authors of MilitarySunHelmets.com.

Peter Suciu

October 2018