Birthday Card to Marilyn Monroe from Half-Sister Berniece Miracle

This original birthday card, sent to Marilyn Monroe in April 1959 by her half sister Berniece Miracle, represents one of the most personal and meaningful surviving examples of family correspondence from Marilyn’s adult life. The card is preserved together with its original handwritten enclosure and transmittal envelope, addressed to “Mrs. Marilyn Miller” at her residence at 444 East 57th Street in New York City and postmarked Gainesville, Florida.

The printed birthday greeting is accompanied by a handwritten letter from Berniece, written in blue ink on a separate sheet and signed simply, “Love, Berniece.” In it, she writes:

“Dearest Marilyn,

I got home to fly up and visit you this summer during part of my vacation. Please plan to be home and I will be sure and see you. Give my regards to Arthur.”

This personal message reflects the enduring closeness between Marilyn and her half sister, one of the few stable and trusted family relationships in her life. Despite the demands of Marilyn’s career and the physical distance between them, the two remained in regular contact, exchanging letters and visits over many years.

The envelope itself provides an especially poignant historical detail. Addressed to “Mrs. Marilyn Miller,” it places the correspondence during the period of Marilyn’s marriage to playwright Arthur Miller, when she was living in New York and studying at the Actors Studio while continuing her film career. The presence of the original envelope, enclosure, and signed card preserves the complete context of the exchange exactly as Marilyn received it.

Family correspondence such as this offers rare and intimate insight into Marilyn Monroe’s private life. Unlike studio documents or professional communications, letters and cards from Berniece reflect genuine affection and continuity, documenting a personal bond that remained constant throughout Marilyn’s life. Preserved from 1959, this birthday card stands as a deeply human record of Marilyn Monroe not as an icon, but as a sister, aunt, and family member cherished by those closest to her.