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. 

Blue background with white text and diagonal white lines radiating from a white half-circle on the bottom center

The Harold Washington Party (HWP) was created and incorporated in Illinois as a Chicago political party in 1989. The impetus for its formation was the passing of its namesake, the mayor who had recently died in office. Harold Washington was Chicago’s first Black mayor. A Democratic former lawyer and congressman, Washington won two terms in mayoral office but died just seven months into his second term. The HWP focused on mobilizing Black voters who were disappointed with the mainline Democratic Party and a noted lack of dedication in the party to addressing issues facing Black Americans.

The party nominated Timothy Evans for the 1989 special election for mayor, who received 41% of the vote; they also slated candidates for other positions throughout Cook County. In 1990, a court decision eliminated HWP nominees from ballot access after criticism that votes were being diverted from the Democratic Party. Journalistic reports state that this led to an increase in support for Democratic Party candidates.

Black and red text on a gold background with a black-outlined red half-circle on the bottom

Golden Gate International Exposition was held at Treasure Island—a man-made island created for the fair—in San Francisco from February 18-October 29, 1939, and again from May 25-September 29, 1940. The event, dubbed “Pageant of the Pacific,” showcased achievements in art, architecture, agriculture, culture, and industry in partnership with other Pacific nations, ultimately attracted 17,000,000 million visitors. Despite attendance numbers, the Exposition was considered a monetary failure and temporarily closed, eventually reopening seven months later. 

Chrysler Motors, formally Chrysler Corporation and currently known as Stellantis North America, was founded in 1925 by Walter Chrysler. It is one of the three leading competitors in the early automotive industry in the United States, along with Ford and General Motors. Chrysler Motors was an exhibitor at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, showcasing their automotive advancements as part of the celebration of the Western United States' industrial advancements. Chrysler Motors went on to create and sell affordable cars and auto parts for decades. In 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a merge with Fiat. In 2021, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US once again made another historical change within its company's history by merging with Stellantis North America.

Blue, white, and black stripes around the rim with black text on the white stripe and a color painted illustration of Mount Rainier in the center

Mount Rainier National Park is in western Washington state and hosts the most prominent peak in the Cascade Mountain Range. It was established in 1899 and is the fifth park in the United States national park system. The Stratovolcano mountain has a summit of 14,410 feet and is surrounded by valleys, waterfalls, forests, meadows, and 280 species of wildlife. Mount Rainier has 28 named glaciers and many unnamed snowfields. 

Rainier is a popular site for skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. In February of 1922, the first winter ascent of the mountain was completed and filmed. In the warmer seasons, hiking and climbing are frequent activities. In the late summer, wildflowers heavily decorate the scenery. The park sees approximately 1.4 million visitors per year. Its visitor centers are called Sunrise, Paradise Jackson, and Ohanapecosh. Paradise is the most visited section, offering exhibits, ranger programs, films, and an historic inn.