WBEE I Love Jazz

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Text on Button I LOVE JAZZ WBEE All Jazz Radio AM 160
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Orange text below a small illustration of a trumpet on a black background with an orange rim

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WBEE-AM was a radio station known to broadcast jazz music for the Chicago Metropolitan area. The radio station first aired in 1955 in an all-gospel music format. In 1968, the stationed transitioned to broadcasting solely jazz music. Over the next 50 years, the station experienced multiple changes in its format and name. By 1989, the station’s name was changed to WMNN and shifted its focus to financial news, however it was quickly changed back to WBEE, continuing the all-jazz format. In 2003, the station faced another drastic change under new ownership, switching back to its original all-gospel format and ultimately changing its name to WBGX, which still broadcasts gospel music for fellow Chicagoans.  

Sources

Staff Reports. (2003, May 12). Jazz Radio experiencing yet another death in the family. Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/05/12/jazz-radio-experiencing-yet-another-death-in-the-family/ 

Wikipedia contributors. (2024a, October 9). WBGX. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBGX 
 
Catalog ID MU0587

Bet on a Vet

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Text on Button BET ON A VET YOU BOTH WIN
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White text on a red background

Curl Text [union bug] HORN CO., PHILA 19126
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“Bet on a Vet” is a slogan in support of the military and its veterans. Generally, this slogan has been used to promote political campaigns of veterans and highlight veteran-owned businesses in an effort to raise money and provide financial relief. During May, numerous companies and communities celebrate National Military Appreciation Month, often using "Bet on a Vet" on various merchandise.

Sources
Rotay Enterprises. (2024, October 4). Bet on a vet - Rotay Enterprises. Rotay Enterprises -. https://www.rotayenterprises.com/bet-on-a-vet/ 
Catalog ID CA0955

Pacific Stereo

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Text on Button Make Your Own Kind of Music PACIFIC STEREO
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White text on a blue background

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Pacific Stereo was founded in 1960 by Thomas C. Anderson when he purchased Pacific Radio Supply, a wholesale parts distributor in Berkeley, CA, and converted the store to retail. By 1965, he concentrated on retail stereo sales when FM-stereo, Japanese transistorized components, and The Beatles had arrived—and many teenagers across the US wanted to listen to them. The store packaged components in audio systems and offered in-store services, trying to make it less difficult to buy a high-tech product. Pacific keyed in on music as part of the client's lifestyle. Make your own kind of music was the slogan of Pacific Stereo in 1970s. The phrase was taken from a jingle for Pacific Stereo commercials tv commercials. The company employed innovative eye-catching advertising and savvy retail sales techniques.  

The company grew and expanded in California. In 1974, Pacific Stereo was sold to CBS and opened stores in Illinois, Texas, Washington, and Georgia. However, by the late 1970s, sales of stereo components began to decrease while competition grew. In 1982, CBS put Pacific up for sale and it was purchased a year later. In 1986, Pacific filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores.  

As of 2024, the name Pacific Stereo is used by an ex-employee to promote his vintage audio and video business.   

Sources

Fisher, L. M. (1986, June 30). End of Glory Days for Pacific Stereo. New York Times.  https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/30/business/end-of-glory-days-for-pacific-stereo.html 

Pacific Stereo. (n.d.) Home. Retrieved October 18, 2024, from https://www.pacificstereo.net/ 

TruSlack. (2006, August 12). Pacific Stereo Threesome, 1978. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zenD8mWgUDY 

 

Catalog ID AD1121

Animal Liberation Human Liberation

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Text on Button ANIMAL LIBERATION HUMAN LIBERATION
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Illustration of a raised human fist next to a raised animal paw on an orange background with red text above and below

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In 1975, Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation discussed animal cruelty at the expense of humans, emphasizing the need for ethical improvements pertaining towards the well-being of animals and the economic challenges of animal regulations. Singer’s publication came at a significant moment during the animal rights movement, attracting a larger mainstream audience. Animal Liberation also inspired Ingrid Newkirk to found the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in 1980. 

From its inception, PETA has garnered both positive and negative attention for its investigations and exposés of animal cruelty in unsafe environments. One of their investigations culminated in the release of the 1984 short film Unnecessary Fuss, which used stolen footage from the Animal Liberation Front. The film exposed animal abuse at the University of Pennsylvania's head injury clinic, leading to the suspension of grant funding, firings, and the lab’s closure. As of 2024, PETA continues to advocate for animals, focusing on shutting down facilities that have poor animal production practices, saving animal lives daily. PETA has also experienced its own controversy, such as the protesting methods of throwing paint on those who wear fur or skin and the high euthanasia rates at their Norfolk, Virginia shelter. Even with these controversies, the animal rights movement has made significant progress spreading awareness and inspiring more humane practices.

Sources
 

Wikipedia contributors. (2024i, October 6). People for the ethical treatment of animals. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_for_the_Ethical_Treatment_of_Animals 

Animal liberation. (n.d.). Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29380.Animal_Liberation 
 
Catalog ID CA0954

Victim of the Press

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Text on Button Victim of the Press
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Black text on a white background

Curl Text AESTHETIC REALISM FOUNDATION, INC 141 GREENE ST, NY, NY 10012 [union bug]
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In 1941, poet and art critic Eli Siegel founded the movement Aesthetic Realism, which is based in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. The movement operates the Terrain Gallery, which exhibits the teachings of Siegel as well as the work of other artists. During the 1970s, Aesthetic Realism gained mainstream attention but also faced criticism in part due to its sometimes controversial opinions on social issues. In response, its members wore buttons with the slogan “Victim of the Press.” Eli Siegel died by suicide in 1978, and the movement has since declined, with only 66 members as of 2022.

Sources

1977 VICTIM OF THE PRESS Aesthetic Realism Movement pin pinback button 1.25". (n.d.). eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/175741572744 

Wikipedia contributors. (2024d, August 7). Aesthetic realism. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetic_Realism  

The Victims of Aesthetic Realism — article from NY Native. (n.d.). https://michaelbluejay.com/x/media/new-york-native.html 

Catalog ID IB0880

Camelot Ended on Dike Bridge

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Text on Button CAMELOT ENDED ON DIKE BRIDGE
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Brown text on a white background

Curl Text © 1980 CBC Box 521 Santa Cruz, CA 95061
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A week after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jackie Kennedy cemented her husband’s legacy by comparing his administration to the legends of Camelot. President Kennedy himself was likened to King Arthur with his pure heart, chivalry, and selflessness. The administration was Kennedy’s Knights of the Round Table, fostering a period of optimism with “utopian ideals and high hopes.” The Kennedy family was the closest thing to America’s version of Camelot royalty. Many may argue that this period of idolizing the Kennedy Family came to an end with the Chappaquiddick incident. 

On the night of July 18, 1969, Ted Kennedy, brother to John F. Kennedy, drove his car off Dike Bridge and killed Mary Jo Kopechne after a party on Chappaquiddick Island. After the car landed on its roof in Poucha Pond, Kennedy was able to free himself from the vehicle. He allegedly went back several times to try and save Kopechne. When Kennedy could not pull Kopechne from the car, he fled the scene. Law enforcement pulled Kopechne’s body from the car the following morning, citing her cause of death as drowning. Kennedy pled guilty to his charges, and the judge suspended his initial two-month prison sentence. Kennedy provided a televised statement that the public criticized for tarnishing his reputation, as well as the reputation of the entire Kennedy family.

Sources

Chappaquiddick incident. (2024, October 7). In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chappaquiddick_incident 

Goddard, T. (n.d.). Camelot. In Taegan Goddard’s Political Dictionary. https://politicaldictionary.com/words/camelot/ 

Washington Post. (2013, November 22). How Jackie Kennedy crafted Camelot [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaP2LX_wrgA 

Catalog ID PO1285

Shriners AAONMS

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Text on Button AAONMS
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Illustration of a red hat with a black tassel; on the hat is a yellow symbol featuring a knife, a crescent, a sphinx face, and a star

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[sticker: 53]

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Shriners AAONMS (Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine) is an American Masonic society founded in New York by Walter Millard Fleming and William J. Florence in 1872. Florence suggested its Middle Eastern inspired iconography for their ceremonies and motifs, after attending an Arabian-themed party in Marseille, France. Shriners wear distinctive red fezzes, and fraternal paraphernalia features camels, pyramids, and other Egyptian and Arabic references. Membership is open to men who have been initiated as master masons. The global fraternity counts around 200,000 members in shrine centers in Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Philippines, Shriners are involved in philanthropy through charity on Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 healthcare facilities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. 

Some partner organizations are Scottish Rite, York Rite, Grottoes of North America, Daughters of the Nile, Ladie’s Oriental Shrine of North America, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, among others. Until the mid-20th century, Shriners restricted membership to white men. As such, Black Masons established a counterpart of the AAONMS: the AEAONMS (Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine). After the 9/11 attacks, Shriners were mistaken by some as a Muslim organization, leading to harassment and vandalism and causing the Shriners to remove and change much of their Middle Eastern themed iconography. Eventually, the organization officially changed its name to Shriners International in 2011. Famous Shriners include Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and other cartoons of Looney Toones), John Wayne, General Douglas MacArthur, and presidents Gerald Ford and Harry Truman. 

Sources

About Shriners. (2024). Shriners International. https://www.shrinersinternational.org/en/who-we-are/about-shriners 

Rich, P., & De Los Reyes, G. (1998). The Nobles of the Shrine: Orientalist Fraternalism. Journal of American Culture, 21(4), 9. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1111/j.1542-734x.1998.00009.x 

Harassed, insulted, Shriners pay price for Islam imagery. (2022, October 21). Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/10/21/harassed-insulted-shriners-pay-price-for-islam-imagery/ 

Sostek, A. (2011, April 10). Shriners shed many Middle Eastern references while continuing traditions such as the circus. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2011/04/10/Shriners-shed-many-Middle-Eastern-references-while-continuing-traditions-such-as-the-circus/stories/201104100310 

 

Catalog ID CL0704

Sperry Flour

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Text on Button SPERRY FLOUR SINCE 1852 [SPERRY PRODUCTS IN EVERY HOME SPERRY FLOUR] A STANDARD PRODUCT
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In a black-outlined oval in the center is a black and white illustration of a traditional home in a wooded landscape with black and white text above and below. Around the oval is a red background with black text. 

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IRVINE & JACHENS
M'FRS
BADGES, SEALS, STAMPS,
CHECKS
ETC
1027 MARKET ST., S.F.

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Sperry Flour Co. was a flour manufacturer founded by Austin Sperry in 1852. Sperry found success, expanding and opening multiple flour mills throughout the Pacific Northwest. Sperry's production began to decline due to its slower old-fashioned methods and the interference of World War I. In 1929 Sperry Flour Co. merged with rival flour company, General Mills, changing the company’s name to General Mills, Sperry Division.

Sources

The Sperry Mill Company | Spokane Historical. (n.d.). Spokane Historical. https://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/594 

c 1910 SPERRY FLOUR Celluloid Pin ADVERTISING Antique Pinback California. (n.d.-b). eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/266267480195 

Catalog ID AD1120

Hank Wallace's Raw Deal

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Text on Button 6,000,000 PIGLETS SQUEAL "HANK WALLACE'S RAW DEAL!"
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THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO.
BUTTONS,
BADGES
AND SIGNS
NEWARK, N.J.

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Henry A. Wallace (1888-1965) was best known for being the 33rd Vice President of the United States under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Henry A. Wallace, the son of Henry C. Wallace, who served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1921 to 1924, followed in his father's footsteps by serving the same title from 1933 to 1940. Outside of his political career, Henry A. Wallace grew up on a farm and became a journalist for his family’s magazine, Wallaces’ Farmer. Wallace created a mathematical method while working for his family's magazine to help agriculture prices. He also founded the seed company Pioneer Hi-Bred International, which produces seeds for agricultural purposes. 

The anti-slogan, “6,000,000 Piglets Squeal Hank Wallace's Raw Deal,” is about Wallace enacting the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, which resurfaced during his run as Vice President the 1940 U.S. Presidential election. In response to the Great Depression, the production costs of maintaining crops and livestock became unstable. The purpose of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 was to provide financial relief to farmers affected by the Great Depression by reducing agricultural supply—in short, the government purchased and slaughtered livestock from farmers to improve the economy. Though the act faced significant backlash, it did little to impact Wallace's political career.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (2024h, October 1). Henry A. Wallace. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A._Wallace

gmoore@ncsu.edu. (2020, August 14). Plowing under cotton and killing pigs (8/14/2020) – The Friday footnote. https://footnote.wordpress.ncsu.edu/2020/08/14/plowing-under-cotton-and-killing-pigs-8-14-2020/ 
 

Catalog ID PO1284

End the War in Viet Nam

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Text on Button END THE WAR IN VIET NAM
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By 1969, over 500,000 United States military troops were stationed in Vietnam to fight the communist influence of North Vietnam. The war was incredibly destructive and violent against the Vietnamese people, and the United States’ involvement blurred the country’s moral standing. Demonstrations of opposition to U.S. involvement in Vietnam quickly grew into a countercultural social movement. Among those to join the “peace movement” were students, mothers, anti-establishment youth, civil rights activists, feminists, Chicano movement activists, educators, clergy, journalists, lawyers, veterans, and physicians. Tensions were already high due to an increase in student activism during the civil rights and free speech movements, only to be ramped up even higher once the military draft was enforced. The graphic war footage brought into the homes of Americans through televisions also played an active part in the growing opposition to U.S. involvement. Civil rights activist Malcolm X recalled how the U.S. was fighting to free Vietnam from communism yet refused full rights and equality to African Americans “at home.” In March 1973, the U.S. withdrew the last of its military troops from Vietnam, and the war ended two years later in April 1975. 

Sources

Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War. (2024, October 2). In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 17, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_United_States_involvement_in_the_Vietnam_War 

Spector, R. H. (2024). Vietnam War. In Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War  

United States in the Vietnam War. (2024, September 10). In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 17, 2024 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_in_the_Vietnam_War 

Catalog ID CA0953