Red and yellow comet illustrated diagonally across a black background with a dark green and white illustration of a watch face and dark green text on the bottom.  

In 1986, Halley’s Comet made its return around Earth after 76 years around the sun. Traveling at a speed of 2,000 mph for the past 2,000 years —and as big as the island of Manhattan—Halley's rare visit to Earth was hard to miss! 

Swatch watches dominated youth culture and fashion of the 1980s. To align with this major moment in air and space history, Swatch released a limited edition timepiece: the Cosmic Encounter GS102, seen here on this companion button. Halley’s Comet won’t make another visit to Earth until 2061, but when it does perhaps Swatch watches will recreate this desirable vintage find.  

Dark blue outer rim with white text; a mercury dime is sandwiched between the front and back of the button and fills the center

The Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America (IUMSWA) was a labor union active between 1933 and 1988. It began in New Jersey, growing to protect many private shipyards on the East and Gulf coasts. The IUMSWA coverage of all production workers in the shipbuilding industry led to disputes with other craft unions, contributing to the American Federation of Labor (AFL) not recognizing the union. IUMSWA was independent until the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) allowed them to join in 1936. It slowly dissipated after the war, with the added issues of internal conflicts, mergers, and other union competition. IUMSWA’s early goals were improving wages, paid time off, and pensions for workers in private shipyards. They soon expanded to public government-owned yards. 

Teal and red sketch-style background with a black zig-zag outline, black text, and black illustrations of the symbols for "man" and "woman" in various combinations

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. In 1982, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) established four risk factors: male homosexuality, intravenous drug use, Haitian origin, and hemophilia A. 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. By the mid-1990s, HIV/AIDS numbers were steadily declining, with the introduction of effective treatment in 1986. 

There is still no cure for AIDS, however, preventative medication and viral suppression medicine has made great strides Infected individuals can reduce the amount of HIV in their blood to an undetectable level, allowing for long lives and dramatically reducing risks for their sexual partners. The sentence "We're All Living With Aids" and the symbols of a variety of genders and gendered pairings work to dismantle the incorrect label of "gay plague" that was rampant in the 1980s and continues to affect the cultural consciousness today. 

Red, yellow, and green bullseye background with white text and a white illustrated diamond on the green center

In 1925, California commemorated the 75th anniversary of joining the Union with an extravagant party hosted in San Francisco. The event was named the “Diamond Jubilee,” so called due to a “jewel”-encrusted decorative centerpiece and archway in Civic Center Plaza. Festivities began on September 5th, 1925, with an automobile parade followed by water exhibitions of speed boats and seaplanes. Those in attendance could visit the “Joy Zone,” an area dedicated to fun and delights, including games, circus acts, musical performances. The evening concluded at the Civic Auditorium. In the days that followed, there were more motorcades and parades, including a military car show. The final day, September 12th, saw a night-time “electrical light spectacle” parade.

Illustration of two brown monkeys on a teal and white gradient background with red text and a red rim; the monkeys are illustrated in a manner similar to Michelangelo's depiction of God and Adam in the Sistine Chapel.

The Pan-American Exposition was a world's fair event that was held in Buffalo, New York in 1901 from May 1 to November 2. The event was meant to celebrate achievements throughout the American continents, but it is mostly known as the location of President McKinley's assassination.

Raphael Beck is the artist who designed the original Pan-American Exposition logo where the continents of North America and South America are depicted as two women holding hands where the continents meet (incidentally reminiscent of Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" on the Sistine Chapel where God and Adam nearly touch hands). While there is little information on the version of the logo where the continents are characterized as monkeys, there are in fact so many monkey species native to Central America and South America that they are referred to as 'New World' monkeys. These primate families contain the only monkeys with prehensile tails, as shown on the monkeys in this button.

Sepia-toned photograph of a man wearing a brimmed hat in the center surrounded 10 small, circular, super-imposed photographs: an elephant at the top plus nine big cats going around the rim of the button

In the late 1800s, lion tamer Frank C. Bostock was traveling with his team of lions when chaos ensued as one of his lions broke loose, roaming the streets of Birmingham, UK. Thankfully, Bostock’s cleverness prevented the public from discovering the truth about the lion's whereabouts. He pretended to have captured the loose lion from the sewers and instead used his second lion as 'proof'. Thankfully, the escaped lion in the sewers was captured the next day by Bostock and his traveling crew. 

Raised by a lion tamer, Frank C. Bostock's life was unique from the very beginning. He became well known for entertaining audiences of up to 16,000 at his traveling shows, which featured acts of lion taming and kangaroo boxing! He owned over 1,000 animals, including a pet puma which was a gift from U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Bostock invented the cage for circus acts and developed taming techniques for lions using chairs, which improved both safety standards and the overall entertainment value of the show. Bostock’s innovations transformed the day's practices of traveling circus shows.

Brown text on an off-white background and rebus illustration of a frying pan, a "merry" anthropomorphic can, and a buffalo which depicts the "Pan American Exposition Buffalo, NY 1901".

The 1901 Pan-American Exposition was a prime example of a World Fair, showcasing the art, technological developments, and cultures of North America, including an exhibition where indigenous Americans, most prominently the renown Apache chief Geronimo, were put on display as a sideshow attraction. The exposition was also famed for its pioneering use of electricity, which illuminated the fairgrounds at night, and for being the site of the assassination of then-president William McKinley.

This souvenir button presents a humorous play on words, accompanied by relevant images. The included buffalo is a nod to the location of the exposition, as it was held in Buffalo, New York.

Black text around the rim separated by two line-drawn baseballs surroundeding an illustration of an orange and black tiger with a long tail that wraps around it to form a circle.

Malcolm W. Bingay's persistence and tenacity led to his meteoric rise through the ranks of the newspaper industry in Detroit. He began his career as a printer's devil after being expelled from school. He cut his teeth at the Detroit News and became the managing editor at the age of 29. 

Bingay came into his own working at the Detroit Free Press. Still he was not a household name, preferring to write under the nom de plume "Iffy the Dopester." Iffy was personified as a baseball wizard by Floyd Nixon, the art director at Detroit Free Press. Bingray wrote the sports column and Nixon created tiger cartoons to celebrate the Detroit Tigers’ wins. Iffy the Dopester buttons became must have flair during Tiger games at Comerica Park.

Red text on a color illustration of native Alaskan totem poles and structures situated in an Alaskan landscape

Located in the southeast tip of Alaska, Wrangell is a small coastal town surrounded by natural beauty and resources. It borders Tongass National Forest and welcomes visitors to explore its wild landscape and cultural heritage as a historically Stikine Tlingit area. Those inclined to watch Alaskan wildlife might see black and brown bears feasting on salmon at the Forest Service-built Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory.

Downtown Wrangell is home to the Kiks.àdi Totem Park, which was built to honor Kiks.àdi Clan Chief Kahlteen. After its purchase by Sealaska in 1987, the park was transferred to Wrangell’s tribal government in 2018 and is a popular destination.

Blue and red bold text accented by thick blue and red lines on a white background

Jane Byrne (1933-2014) was the first woman mayor of a major city in the United States, serving as Chicago’s 50th mayor from 1979 to 1983. She lost her bid for re-election in 1983 and 1987, losing the Democratic primary to 51st mayor Harold Washington. Learn about our Washington buttons here. As mayor, Byrne prompted open-air farmers’ markets, started the Taste of Chicago festival, initiated handgun restrictions, declared the first Gay Pride Parade Day in 1981, and welcomed the filming of “The Blues Brothers.” 

Her success in the 1979 election was credited largely to her incumbent opponent Michael Bilandic’s approval dropping due to his lack of plowing efforts and public transportation management during a severe blizzard. She ran on popular sentiments of rebelling against the political machine, which led to disappointment from supporters when she aligned with the establishments and aldermen she had previously disputed. Her term saw high turnover in administration, battles against unions, and contention with the media. The shift she instigated toward the arts, music, and tourism in Chicago has left a lasting impact on the city.