49th State Safety Legion

An illustration of a man in a uniform reminiscent of a police officer on a blue and yellow background with black text.

During the 1930s, these buttons were passed out to the young members of the 49^th State Safety Legion. Based in St. Louis, this club was for children attending school in the city. The club was sponsored by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper along with the station KMOX and was intended to encourage children to be safe and to watch out for others. The figure of the man on the button is intended to be “General Safety”, who is the signature on letters sent to the children who had joined the organization, along with the button and a membership certificate. The children were encouraged to wear the buttons as often as possible in order to spread awareness.   These letters contained the rules of the club and then the “Safety Song.” A popular misconception is that the “49^th State” is referring to Alaska, but the buttons and program were from before it had been admitted into the United States.