Blue litho photograph of Len Small in the center on a white background surrounded by white text on a red rim on the top and a blue rim on the bottom

Aged yellow background with green text and two green lines separating the text.

Red outer band on top with aged white text and blue outer band on bottom with aged white text. Blue background with aged white stars, and red and aged white stripes in center, overlaid with three circles with black and aged white images of soldiers and black text. Tattered red, white, and blue ribbon at bottom of button.

Red outer band with cream text and a cream center with red text and a thin cream line around the outer rim

White and green text on a green, white, and red background.

Michael Bilandic was the acting Democratic mayor of Chicago after the death of Mayor Richard J. Daley in 1976. He ran for reelection and won, retaining his role as mayor in 1977. Bilandic was not nominated in the primary of the following election due to a number of issues, but cited chief amongst them was his poor handling of public transportation access in the wake of a massive snowstorm in 1979. While little information is accessible about whether Bilandic’s campaign had direct outreach to Latino voters, historically Bilandic and his predecessor did little outreach in general to Chicago’s Latino community, and it wasn’t until the election of Mayor Harold Washington that more direct outreach to Latino and Black voters was made.

Purple text and a small, purple bird on a cream colored background

Black text on a yellow background

Red text designed to look like a pair of puckered lips on a white background

Illustration of a brown beaver wearing an orange coat and hat on a green background with white text around the rim

In the 1950s, Bertie Beaver was created by Walt Disney Studios as a companion to Smokey the Bear. In 1958, it was given as a gift to the Alberta Forest Service department after the company made a few documentaries there, and was used to raise public awareness of local fire prevention programs. The image of Bertie Beaver has been used on aircrafts, murals, posters, maps, signs, and buttons. There has even been a plush toy and puppet made of the character. 

The mascot suit of Bertie Beaver at the Canadian Prarie Forest Park was worn by Gladys Stevens, the wife of the Smokey the Bear suit wearer, Greg Stevens. Together they educated children and their parents on forest conservation, appearing before more than 600,000 people.

Color painted illustration of Chiquita in a red dress performing a fan dance with off-white cursive text on the bottom

“Chiquita” was the stage name used by Alize Espiridiona Cenda del Castillo. Cenda was born in 1869 with a form of primordial dwarfism, and when full grown only measured 26 inches tall. In her act Chiquita would sing, dance, play instruments, and otherwise charm her audience.In 1901, Chiquita appeared at the Pan-American Fair in Buffalo as, “the Official Mascot of the Exposition,” and driving, “the smallest automobile ever constructed.” At the end of the fair, Cenda eloped with a young man who had been working for her show.

Her manager took her to court for breach of contract, but Chiquita and her husband eventually triumphed, and she was free of her contract. They continued to tour to give performances. It’s not known what became of Chiquita in later years, but it’s believed that the couple moved to Mexico where she may have passed away in 1945.