Black text on white background with red and white checkered edge.

Aged white background with black illustration of a rooster, black text, and a red and aged white checkered edge.

White backgroudn with black text around the rim and an illustration of a large trailer truck in the center

Colorized photograph of a pond surrounded by lush greenery; a man with a long beard wearing a suit and fedora stands in the middle ground, looking toward the camera

Pink triangle over white text on black background.

Silence=Death is a symbol and slogan created in the 1980's by Avram Finkelstein, Brian Howard, Oliver Johnston, Charles Kreloff, Chris Lione, and Jorge Socarrás to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic. The phrase was meant to criticize both the public stigma surrounding the disease as well as the Reagan administration's lack of response. The pink triangle was a symbol used by Nazis in the 1930's and 1940's to identify homosexuals, but by flipping it upside down, the creators of Silence=Death helped to reclaim the symbol for their community. The visual iconography was chosen to make the movement as inclusive as possible. As a result, the group of creators choose not to use photographs, but rather a more general symbol of a pink triangle.  

Silence=Death—and the upside down pink triangle—became hugely impactful symbols, and eventually was adopted by the organization AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP). With its new slogan, ACT UP would go on to fight AIDS both in the U.S and around the world. As of 2024, ACT UP continues to advocate for the nearly 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS. 

Click here to see another version of this button held by the Museum

Black text on aged white background with red and aged white checkered edge.

Blue tinted head and shoulders portrait of a man in the center with red text on a white background surrounding the photograph

Black outlined bubble letters above a smiley face on a pink background

Red and black text on a white background

In 1904, The Louisiana Purchase Exposition commemorated the completion of the sale of land by Napoleon Bonaparte to President Thomas Jefferson in 1804. Lewis and Clark would set off that year on their famous expedition to explore the new acquisition. More commonly referred to as The St. Louis World’s Fair, held in St. Louis, Missouri, the fair was notable for many innovations including popularizing the ice cream cone. There are many remnants of the Fair which can be seen in St. Louis today.

To aid the many visitors who may become lost in the expansive fair and surrounding area, a St. Louis citizen may have worn this button as a prompt to answer questions.
 

White background; in the center is a black and white photograph of a smiling man with a pompadour haircut wearing a suit with black text above and below 

Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was a rock and roll icon and is often attributed with having brought rock music to the white audience of the late 1950s. His career had its ups and downs, notably the down of his movie career, but also the up of his 1968 “comeback” special. His legacy is undeniable.

His home in Memphis, Tennessee, “Graceland,” continues to draw tourists from the world over. Elvis Presley Fan Clubs were created to generate excitement as he began his touring phase. The clubs are still going strong, and the Graceland website encourages joining or starting a club today!