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In the history of music, the record album, unlike other fleeting formats such as the 8-track cassette, has seen a seemingly timeless staying power in both popular and music culture. In 1939 the Saturday Evening Post published an article titled “Meet the Platterbugs” exploring the obsession with finding records, especially rare and obscure ones, in thrift stores. The Post described vinyl junkies as afficionados of records, skidding further into rabid collecting with every album added to their stash. Over 75 years later, vinyl junkies are alive and well at resale shops, record stores, and vinyl exchanges all over the world. In fact, record sales were the highest in 2015 since 1988!

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The phrase “BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND” with a peace sign in the center was designed for quick recognition in crowds and is mainly associated with anti-war protest merchandise—becoming a symbol of the ’60s and ’70s peace and hippie movements. People wore it at marches and rallies supporting peace and protesting U.S. war policies. The slogan “Back by Popular Demand” subtly references the peace movement’s resurgence. It appeared on buttons and bumper stickers during later periods of activism.

The symbol dates back to 1958, when designer Gerald Holtom developed it for Britain’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament by merging the semaphore signals for N and D within a circle. Initially a CND emblem, it gained recognition as a universal icon for peace and anti-war movements worldwide.

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In 1972, Gus Hall and Jarvis Tyner served as Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) candidates for president and vice president, respectively, in that year’s presidential election. Hall and Tyner's run was motivated by the perception that both Republicans and Democrats were beholden to the interests of corporate America above all else, and that they were unable to satisfactorily address serious issues like the Vietnam War and other social and political problems. 

Gus Hall was a founding member of the United Steel Workers, and served as the CPUSA’s leader from 1959 until his death in 2000. 

Jarvis Tyner was another longtime member of the CPUSA, and a founding member of the Black Radical Congress. As of 2025, he currently serves as the executive vice chair of the CPUSA, where he continues to write articles and other publications. 

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When I Say No, I Feel Guilty is a 1975 self-help book by Manuel J. Smith. The book advises readers on how to set boundaries with others, prevent others from taking advantage of you, as well as how to better deal with both praise and criticism. A common slogan for the book is “The best-seller that helps you say: ‘I just said 'no' and I don't feel guilty!’”. An advertisement for the book, this button was intended to be worn by readers to show that they have embraced the book’s teachings. 

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Carol Bouman was an illustrator popular during the 1970s and 1980s. Her work is best described as having "figurative collage elements" and "whimsical art deco influences." She illustrated several children’s books in the 1980s, including Pick of the Litter by Teddy Slater, The Fisher-Price picture dictionary by Dina Anastasio, RV and the Haunted Garage by Mel Gilden, and Where is Baby Twinkle? by Michael Teitelbaum. Bouman also collaborated with renowned musicians, including Jerry Lee Lewis, on album cover art. Her work has even reached the big screen! She was the artist for The Inheritance (1976) movie poster. While little known about her personal life, she has made a significant impact in various forms of commercial art.

See another Carol Bouman button in the museum's collection

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Gus Savage was a politician and influential publisher from Chicago. He was an outspoken champion of equality and black liberation, but was marred by personal and political controversies. He served Illinois in the US House of Representatives for six terms between 1981 and 1993. Savage died on October 31st, 2015.  

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The Turbo or Turboliner was the name of a train offered by Amtrak in the 1970’s. The slogan “Ride the Turbo” as seen on this button was a promotional saying used by Amtrak. The first Turboliners in the United States were French built and called RTL’s. The trains could pick up speed to 170 miles per hour. The Turbo, a gas powered train, was eventually taken off the tracks in 1981 due to its high cost to run. 

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Le Pac (short for local Public Access Catalog) was a library catalog product developed by the Brodart Company. Le Pac allowed users to perform complex searches of up to a million MARC records. Earlier versions of Le Pac contained its database on CD-ROM, while later versions could be accessed by CD or through the internet.

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“Ssshhicago” was an official nickname given to the 1971 Chicago Noise Ordinance, a piece of legislation intended to reduce noise pollution in the city. The law was primarily directed at curbing noise from motor vehicles and factories, although investigations were made into complaints of noise from a wide variety of sources, including air conditioners, church bells, lawn mowers, and musical instruments to name a few.