Black text on a white background above an illustration of Masonic imagery (from top to bottom): a sword, an upside-down half blue and red moon adorned with the Sphinx, and a yellow star

The organization known today as “Shriners International” was originally known as the “Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.” Dr. Walter M. Fleming—a Masonic scholar—founded the first “temple” in New York, 1872; he created the fraternal order (composed of Master Masons, 32nd degree Scottish Rite Masons, and Knights Templar York Rite Masons) and modeled the organization’s rituals after Arabian and Egyptian literature. Members are best-known not only for the red rez hats they don, but for their philanthropic work through the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The symbol of the Shrine—two claws that join in the middle by the head of a sphinx followed by a star that dangles down between the claws—represents fraternity, charity, and the members who are instrumental to the organization. More specifically, the sphinx head repesents the Imperial Council of Shriners International, while the star symbolizes the thousands of children—“stars”—that receive health assistance from the Shrines Hospitals for Children.

Today, Shrine Temples can be found throughout the world, and the fraternity has almost 300,000 active members.

Illustration of a blue, red, and white Esso motor oil can on a white background

In 1859, Colonel Edwin Drake and Uncle Billy Smith drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania, a monumental feat that lead to an “oil boom” across the country. In nearby Ohio, the Standard Oil Company formed in 1870 and, by 1882, the company had offices in New Jersey and New York as well. By 1885, Standard Oil was used everywhere, from engine oils that powered generators and motors to kerosene for lamps. By the turn of the century, Standard Oil "rubbed elbows" with important figures and inventors of the day; Thomas Edison used Standard Oil for his first generating system and the Wright Brothers used Standard Oil and lubricants for their pivotal first flight.

The idea to use cans to store petroleum is also a product of the early 20th century. Though the first tin-plated cans were patented in 1810 for food use, it wasn’t until 1900 that cans were used to store petroleum-based products. In 1926, Standard Oil brought out new types of fuel under the trade name “Esso,” so-named after the phonetic pronunciation of the initials “S” and “O” in Standard Oil, housed in tin-plated canisters such as can be seen with this button.

Black text on a yellow background with a black and white interlocking square design in the center

During the American industrial revolution of the late 19th and early 20th century, significant immigration from both foreign countries and rural America into major American cities resulted in high rates of poverty and slum-like living conditions. In many of these impoverished areas, playing in the streets was prohibited and thus led to large groups of impoverished and/or homeless children with no outlets for their energy and creativity. This led to social reformers and charitable groups forming a movement for play and playgrounds to create safe and productive ways for children to spend their free time and expend their often-destructive energies. The first playgrounds were sand gardens, but by the early 1900s play areas began to be built in the style of model playgrounds with equipment like swings, building blocks, may poles, benches, and handball courts. Play on playgrounds was not an unsupervised activity and most playgrounds in the 1920s and 1930s had professional play leaders, but not standardized safety regulations for play equipment. In 1906 the Playground Associated of America (PAA) was founded and, with that, there was a push for more playground safety as many children sustained injuries on the unregulated equipment and hard surfaces that playgrounds were built upon. Playground safety groups began organically in local areas in the early 1900s alongside the emergence of the PAA as the public began to pay more attention to the importance of play in childhood development, as well as the necessity for safety regulations and monitoring by adults or trained teenagers. 

Illustration of a woman in a blue dress, white bonnet, and red clogs holding a stick as if in motion on a yellow background with black text

Old Dutch Cleanser was developed by the Cudahy Packing Company of Chicago in 1905. Being meatpackers, they were looking for a soap product to use excess animal fat and created a scouring cleanser by combining soap with pumice. Their trademark was a little Dutch woman in a blue dress chasing away dirt with a stick. Around 1926, their advertising started using the tagline, “The symbol of healthful cleanliness.” At the same time, “Clean-Up Week” was becoming a popular trend to promote civic engagement and business development. People pitched in to do civic improvement projects and individual businesses did spring cleaning. Many found that this actually improved business. Clean Up Week partnered with Old Dutch Cleanser between 1927-1934. Cudahy sold Old Dutch to Purex bleach in 1955. As of 2025, the name is currently owned by Lavo in Montreal.

See an alternative version of this button in the museum's collection here.

Red text in the center; the word "TAXES" in blue is repeated multiple times in the background

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Black and white photograph of a condom, slightly unrolled, with yellow text superimposed on top of the photograph.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a condition that develops from an infection of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). AIDS typically creates a disintegration of the immune system that makes the person more susceptible to other infections. HIV/AIDS is primarily spread through unprotected sexual activity or needles contaminated with infected blood. It was first identified in humans in the United States in 1981, when previously healthy young gay men were contracting deadly diseases. As the epidemic spread, its association with gay men and drug use allowed for a damaging stigma that significantly furthered existing homophobia. 

The United States government was—and is, still—critiqued for ignoring the severity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. President Ronald Regan first spoke the name of the disease when he identified it as a top priority in 1985 after continued outcry from activists. Between 1987 and 1998, over 300,000 people died of AIDS in the US. By 1995, one in fifteen gay men had died of AIDS. 

In 1985, researchers at UC San Francisco confirmed what many AIDS care providers and people with AIDS already assumed: that consistent and correct use of condoms could prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. These findings, along with support from the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States, urged public health departments across the US to create and spread social marketing campaigns that encouraged the practice of safe sex by always wearing a condom. The phrase “Just Wear It!” accompanied by an image of a condom was common imagery in this campaign to promote condom use in all sexual encounters, whether between men or between men and women.  

Black text on an orange background with a color illustration in the center of a boy wearing an orange and black checked suit, orange shoes, and a black top hat with an orange band around the brim; he's pointing at himself and his legs are spread as if he's walking. A thought bubble with black text appears over his left shoulder.

“Just Kids” was a newspaper comic strip by August Daniel “Ad” Carter, which ran from 1923 to 1956. The comic starred Mush Stebbins and other child characters. The series proved popular and spawned many pieces of merchandise. In 1928, the Just Kids Safety Club was formed, with the mission of imparting tips to children on how to be safe and careful. Children could join the club and receive pinback badges like this one in exchange for making a safety pledge. 

Pink text on a white background

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Color illustration of an equestrian event in a Roman amphitheater: eight horses (two of which have riders) are in the foreground and several men in togas feature on the right-hand side of the illustration, along with a typical Roman statue and column.

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White text on a green background on the top half; green text on a white background on the bottom

“To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse and inclusive society… [we must] advocate the passage and ratification of the Equal Rights Movement” (AAUW).

Initially proposed by Congress in 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) looked to secure full equality for women. Though many Americans believe otherwise, women do not specifically have equal rights under the Constitution; the 14th Amendment explicitly states that “men” are guaranteed equality under law, not women. The ERA’s mission to work against this inequality through legislation and court decisions was slow but vital. This mission—to end gender distinctions relating to divorce, property ownership, and fair employment—failed to be ratified in 1923; it wasn’t until 1965 that legal victories (such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965) led to the codified right for women to vote.

Certainly, there is “no time limit on equality,” as women all through the US continue to fight for equal rights.