Vote No for my sake

Black and white photo of a child's face in the center of the button surrounded by white text on a red border. 

The Prohibition movement in the United States was a social and political campaign that aimed to ban the sale, production, and consumption of alcohol. Rooted in the early 19th-century temperance movement, prohibition gained significant support in the early 20th century. The movement was driven by concerns over alcohol's impact on society, including crime, domestic violence, and public health. Key organizations like the Anti-Saloon League and the Women's Christian Temperance Union led the charge, mobilizing support through moral and religious arguments. 

Propaganda tactics like the one used on this button were very common. Prohibition was often depicted as a moral crusade, with advocates portraying alcohol as a destroyer of families and communities. This button shows a photo of a little girl asking the view to “vote no for my sake”. This is potentially hinting towards domestic violence in her home, which prohibitionists would attribute to alcohol use by the adults in her life. The movement gained significant political influence and public sentiment, especially during World War I, and succeeded in passing the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919, which led to nationwide prohibition in 1920.