Ray Charles's Ray-Bans at the National Museum of American History

A pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses belonging to the late Ray Charles will displayed at the National Museum of American History throughout the summer.

Melinda Machado, the museum's director of public affairs, visited Charles' Los Angeles studio in September 2004 hoping to acquire an item symbolizing the legendary musician.

'We had decided that if there was only one thing we could get, it had to be a pair of Ray's sunglasses', Machado tells Smithsonian magazine.

Joe Adams, Charles' longtime manager and the designer of many of his performance outfits, arranged the visit and helped Machado select which among Charles' large array of sunglasses would be featured in the museum. Charles' Ray-Bans, with wide earpieces, seemed the most familiar and characteristic of the entertainer.

Visitors to the Washington D.C. museum can see the exhibit through the summer at an exhibition titled 'Ray Charles: The Genius'.

(Source: The Electronic Urban Report)