Ronald Reagan & George Orwell in 1984

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Text on Button RONALD REAGAN & GEORGE ORWELL in 1984
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Red, bold text on a white background

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The slogan "Ronald Reagan & George Orwell in 1984" suggests parallels between Reagan’s Cold War rhetoric, patriotic messaging, and the authoritarian themes in Orwell’s work, with 1984 being both Reagan's reelection year and the title of one of Orwell's most famous novels. The button reflects political opposition in the 1980s and the enduring cultural power of Orwell’s novel as a critique of propaganda and state control.

 

Sources

Pankowski, Edward, "We Love Big Brother: An Analysis of the Relationship between Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four And Modern Politics in the United States and Europe" (2018). Honors Scholar Theses. 559. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/srhonors_theses/559

Catalog ID PO1299

Immoral Minority Member

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Text on Button IMMORAL MINORITY MEMBER
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Red background white text around the top and bottom rims; white text on a black band across the center

Curl Text LARRY FOX BUTTONS/BUMPER STICKERS [illegible] VALLEY STREAM, N.Y. 11582 (516) 791-7929 ©1980
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The Immoral Minority was created to oppose the Moral Majority. The Moral Majority was formed in 1979 by Jerry Falwell, and supported Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. The Moral Majority wanted prayers in schools, a ban on abortion, and an end to Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union. They also opposed the ERA. By calling themselves the Moral Majority, they made their opposition the Immoral Minority, a name which some liberals seized with pride. A group formed in Olympia, Washington who called themselves the Immoral Minority.

Sources

The Associated Press. (1987, July 3). Immoral Minority drinks to success, the disbands. Eugene Register Guard.

Catalog ID CL0717

Free Tibet

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Text on Button FREE TIBET
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The whole button features a stylized design inspired by the Tibetan flag with a white border: the background is divided into alternating red and blue rays radiating from a central yellow sunburst with yellow  text across the rays. At the bottom of the button is a black-and-white silhouette of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

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The 1990s were a pivotal era in the global movement advocating for Tibetan independence and human rights. During this period, Tibet gained prominence in Western consciousness, particularly among youth and activist communities. The movement was galvanized by events such as the 1987–1989 Tibetan unrest, where pro-independence protests in Tibet were met with violent suppression, drawing international attention.

A significant development in the 1990s was the establishment of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) in 1994. Founded in New York City by a group of Tibetans and young supporters, SFT aimed to leverage the influence of youth to advocate for Tibetan independence and human rights. Their efforts included organizing campus events, educational campaigns, and direct actions to raise awareness about the situation in Tibet.

In 1996, the movement reached a cultural milestone with the Tibetan Freedom Concert, organized by the Beastie Boys and the Milarepa Fund. Held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the concert featured performances by prominent artists and attracted over 100,000 attendees. It was the largest benefit concert since Live Aid and marked a significant moment in the fusion of music and activism for social causes.

Sources

Students for a Free Tibet. (n.d.). Our history. Retrieved from https://studentsforafreetibet.org/about/our-history/

American Songwriter. (2025, June 16). On this day in 1996, Tibetan Freedom Concert kicks off the largest music festival since Live Aid. Retrieved from https://americansongwriter.com/on-this-day-in-1996-tibetan-freedom-concert-kicks-off-the-largest-music-festival-since-live-aid/

 

Catalog ID CA0975

Budweiser Clydesdale

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Text on Button Budweiser® Clydesdale
Image Description

White background featuring an illustration of a clydesdale horse in harness in the center with light red text along the top edge in a curved layout

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The Budweiser Clydesdales were first introduced in 1933, when August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch III gifted their father a six-horse hitch to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. Quickly becoming a marketing symbol, the horses toured New York, New England, and Washington, D.C., even delivering beer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, the Clydesdales remain an emblem of Budweiser’s heritage and quality, making appearances nationwide and are celebrated icons of Budweiser’s marketing, most famously through their long-running Super Bowl commercials.

Sources

Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC. (n.d.). Budweiser Clydesdales. Retrieved August 27, 2025, from https://www.anheuser-busch.com/about/clydesdale

Catalog ID BE0202

Biba Three Women

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Biba illustration in gold on a black background of three identical women, seemingly captured mid-walk; the women wear identical frilly aprons and high-heeled oxford shoes, each holding a covered casserole dish

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[handwritten: BIBA] [sticker: 0 92]

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Please contact us if you have more information.

Catalog ID AR0512

E.R.A. Yes March on Springfield

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Text on Button E.R.A. YES MARCH ON SPRINGFIELD, ILL., MAY 16
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Black text on a yellow background superimposed over a red woman pictogram symbol

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The ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) Yes March on Springfield took place on May 16, 1976, in Springfield, Illinois. Organized by NOW (National Organization for Women) and supported by feminist and civil rights groups, over 16,000 attended to draw attention to the ERA. Men and women marched to the Illinois State Capitol to urge ratification, which Congress had passed in 1972 but still needed approval from more states, including Illinois. Illinois was a key battleground, and the march was among the largest in state history. Notable feminist leaders like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem spoke on gender equality. Though Illinois did not ratify the ERA in 1976, the march boosted activism and remains a significant women's rights event. As of 2025, the ERA has not been added to the Constitution since the 1982 deadline lapsed. Virginia’s ratification in 2020 came too late, fueling debate over its validity and the potential to still add the amendment.

Sources

Farrell, W. E. (1976, May 17). Women From 30 States Carry E.R.A. Fight to Land of Lincoln. The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.nytimes.com/1976/05/17/archives/women-from-30-states-carry-era-fight-to-land-of-lincoln.html 

Gibson, M. (2011, August 12). The Equal Rights Amendment MarchesTime. Retrieved August  23, 2025, from https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2088114_2087975_2087972,00.html

Kokkeler, H. (2022, April 12). The 1978 Equal Rights Amendment. Boundary Stones. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://boundarystones.weta.org/2022/04/13/1978-equal-rights-amendment-march 

Salas-Betsch, I., Kelly, K. (2024, Aug. 26). What Comes Next for the Equal Rights Amendment? The Center for American Progress. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/what-comes-next-for-the-equal-rights-amendment/#:~:text=With%20Virginia%20becoming%20the%2038th,Constitution%20once%20and%20for%20all 

University of Minnesota Women for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). (n.d.). The National Organization for Women in Sponsoring a National March on May 16 in Springfield, Illinois to demand, "Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)!” Gallery. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://gallery.lib.umn.edu/items/show/6526 

Catalog ID EV1005

March on Washington 20th Anniversary

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Text on Button March on Washington for Jobs, Peace & Freedom 20th Anniversary August 28, 1963 August 27th, 1983
Image Description

Black sketch illustration of the White House and the Washington Monument surrounded by black text on the top rim and red text on the bottom rim with red text in the center below the illustration, all on a yellow background; two red rings border the rim text

Curl Text LOCAL 772 POLITICAL AMERICANA, ASHEVILLE, N.C.
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The March on Washington for Jobs, Peace, and Freedom—now often referred to simply as the "March on Washington"—took place in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. More than 200,000 and up to 300,000 participated in the march, rallying for African American civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech was the grand finale, following a lineup of talented speakers. The 1963 March on Washington is often credited as a major catalyst for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and as laying the groundwork for the Selma marches of 1965.

The 20th Anniversary March on Washington was held on August 27, 1983, bringing together more than 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial and National Mall. Organized by Coretta Scott King and a coalition of civil rights, labor, and peace organizations, the event commemorated the historic 1963 march while calling attention to ongoing struggles for racial equality, economic justice, nuclear disarmament, and women’s rights. While the anniversary march celebrated progress since 1963, it also emphasized the work still to be done in fulfilling King’s vision of justice and equality.

Sources

NPR. (2020, August 28). The March on Washington for Jobs, Peace, and Freedom [Radio broadcast transcript]. National Public Radio. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/808346478

Reagan, R. (1983, August 27). Statement on the 20th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-the-20th-anniversary-the-march-washington-for-jobs-and-freedom

The King Center. (n.d.). About Mrs. Coretta Scott King. https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/about-mrs-king/

 

Catalog ID EV1004