Harold Washington signature on gold paper with Mayoral Campaign 1983 at the bottom edge. Union bug on curl.

Harold Washington was the first African-American mayor of Chicago from 1983-1987. It was a very close race: Washington had 37% of the vote, Jane Byrne had 33%, and future mayor Richard M. Daley had 30%. When Harold Washington won the election in 1983 he had gained 83% of the Hispanic vote. He died while working in his office and left quite a legacy around Chicago, including the main Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington University, Harold Washington Park and the Harold Washington Cultural Center. Prior to becoming mayor, he served in the Illinois Legislature as a state senator and state representative. He was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981-1983. 

Photo of Harold Washington.

Harold Washington was the first African-American mayor of Chicago from 1983-1987. He died while working in his office and left quite a legacy around Chicago, including the main Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington University, Harold Washington Park and the Harold Washington Cultural Center. Prior to becoming mayor, he served in the Illinois Legislature as a state senator and state representative.  He was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981-1983. 

White background with blue text and brown and blue stripes, diagonally on lower half of button.

This is a button for Richard M. Daley's campaign to become State’s Attorney of Cook County in Illinois. Daley, the son of previous Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, was elected to the position in 1981 and held it until 1989. Daley’s tenure as State’s Attorney was most notable for his rulings on reports of police brutality. Richard M. Daley is best known as Mayor of Chicago, a post to which he was first elected in 1989 and held until 2011. Daley's tenure as mayor was characterized by increased benefits to LGBT workers, encouraged tourism, and instituted more eco-friendly measures around the city of Chicago. When Daley stepped down from the position in 2011, he had served as Mayor of Chicago for 22 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in Chicago's history.

Richard M. Daley. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Daley.

Yellow, black and white button with black "Y" shape dividing the design into 3 sections.

This button was made for "Chicago Day" at the St. Louis World's Fair on October 8, 1904. 

The "Y" shape on the button represents the North, South and Main branches of the Chicago River; this "Y" shape has been incorporated into Chicago's architecture, infrastructure, as-well-as countless other places throughout the city.  The confluence of the branches of the Chicago River is known as Wolf Point.

White text on blue background. Text wraps around outer circular area of button; "#1" appears boldly in middle of button.

This is a button for Chicago's city department responsible for street cleaning and maintenance, trash and recycling collection, snow and graffiti removal, rodent abatement, and even tree trimming.

Upper red triangle with white text, center white stripe with blue text, lower blue triangle with white text.

Chicago was for many decades "The Convention Capital", especially with regards to political conventions. Between the years 1860 and 1996, Chicago hosted no less than 25 National Conventions. In 1940, President Frank D. Roosevelt was nominated for a third term at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Chicago was also the "Convention Capital" with regard to non-political conventions for many years until it was dethroned by Las Vegas and other cities.

Blue center, red rim, and white text on laminated paper

Founded in 1947, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), is the mass transit for the city of Chicago and some of the surrounding suburbs.

This button was manufactured by the Busy Beaver Button Co.

Black graphic image of a CTA train on red background.

Button signifying the Red Line route for the CTA. Founded in 1947, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the mass transit for the city of Chicago and some of the surrounding suburbs.

This button was manufactured by the Busy Beaver Button Co.

Black graphic image of a CTA train on blue background

Button signifying the Blue Line route for the CTA. Founded in 1947, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), is the mass transit for the city of Chicago and some of the surrounding suburbs.

This button was manufactured by the Busy Beaver Button Co.

Black text on a blue background with a white illustration of the Taj Mahal. "India: A Festival Of Science" arches over top half of button, "Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago"  in semi-circle on lower half of button.

This button is for an exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago that occurred in 1985 and highlighted India's accomplishments in mathematics, chemistry, physics, metallurgy, communications, and transportation.