White text on a red heart on a blue background with white stars

George McGovern was the Democratic nominee for President in 1972, losing to incumbent Richard Nixon in a landslide. Before running for president, McGovern represented South Dakota in the House of Representatives from 1957 to 1961 and served in the Senate from 1962 to 1968. McGovern vocally opposed the Vietnam war and his campaign primarily ran on the promotion of peace. McGovern, known as the “peace candidate,” has a lasting legacy spending less money and effort on conflict in favor of promoting human rights and fighting world hunger.

Black text and a red heart with illustration of a white bird, brown dog, blue sheep and grey mouse on a white background

The I heart NY logo was created in 1977 by Milton Glaser for an ad campaign created by advertising agency Wells Rich Greene. The marketing campaign was sought by then-Deputy Commissioner William S. Doyle to increase tourism in the state of New York. The campaign was a wild success. The original sketch of the logo is permanently on display at the MOMA.

The logo has become iconic in pop-culture and has been imitated in many forms around the world, like on this cute button professing the wearer's love of animals.

Black text and an illustration of a yellow chick breaking out of an egg

"Just Like Bein' Born Stoned" is a comic illustration created in 1971 by Robert Crumb, an American writer and cartoonist whose work primarily satirizes contemporary American culture. Crumb was integral to the underground comix movement, which typically includes self published comics that are often satirical and feature taboo content. He further assisted the movement by creating and contributing to the publication "Zap Comix," which ran from 1968 to 2014. On par with the underground comix movement, his work often features explicit themes, such as drug use, sexuality, and violence. In 1991, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. 

Red and blue text and an illustration of the white house on a white background

The White House Sightseeing Corporation offered sightseeing and pleasure tours throughout the Washington, D.C. area in the 1960s and 1970s. Guests wore these official buttons while on the tour so they could be easily identified by a tour guide, then took them home as souvenirs. 

Green text in the shape of a heart on a white background

Artist Rudolph Sandoval or Sandoval was a graphic designer and illustrator based in Seattle. His Sandoval Gallery & Studio was located in the north end of Seattle's famous Pike Place Market. The gallery sold original art, portraits, postcards, note cards, and prints of the Pike Place Market. During the mid-1970s, he created "The Seattle Pike Place Market Color Book," which features many of the actual stores and vendors in the market. Sandoval's graphic design work uses text to form a shape. In addition to a heart shape, he also created the shape of an umbrella using the word Seattle.

Illustration of two snowmen in ice skates on ice with snow and a gold brick wall and blue sky and white text

Founder Russ Berrie started his illustration and gift business with $500. He rented a garage in Palisades Park, New Jersey, and launched his own firm named after himself. Berrie intended to design, market, and distribute “impulse” gift items. From the start, Russ Berrie & Company produced a string of hit products that quickly found their way onto countertops, desks, and dashboards across the country. Among the company’s earliest creations: Fuzzy Wuzzies (tiny fur ball-like critters bearing messages like “You’re My Best Friend” or “Wild Thing”), troll dolls (squat gnomes with plumes of brightly colored hair), and the Bupkis Family (a motley collection of endearingly ugly rubber figurines). The owner believed in the power of “transformational giving,” partnering with energetic, visionary leaders to change the world for the better. He took an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy, using his keen interpersonal skills to identify people and causes in which to invest and working closely with partners to hone strategies and set expectations.  “There is nothing more important in life than helping a fellow human being.”  — Russell Berrie (1933-2002).

White text on a red background

The first known usage of the greeting “Merry Christmas” dates back to a letter written in the 1500s from a bishop to England’s Chief Minister. However, the phrase gained popularity in 1843 with the publication of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in which Ebenezer Scrooge’s nephew wishes him  “A Merry Christmas, uncle!” Also, it was around this same time that Christmas cards began to be sold in London with the now popular greeting, “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.”

Green illustration of the Court of Neptune fountain with black text on a white background

The Library of Congress (LOC) is the oldest cultural institution operated by the United States Federal Government and is considered to be one of the largest collections of literature in the world. It was officially established in 1800 after settling in Washington D.C. and has grown to house over 164,000,000 total works from all over the globe in a variety of languages. The LOC is unique in that while open to the public it does not allow members of the public to check out any materials, in fact, only members of Congress and employees may patronize the library. The LOC boasts a staff of over 3,000 people and is headed currently by Carla Hayden.

The library does not only contain impressive literature, it also possesses a beautiful fountain affixed with hand-carved bronze sculptures titled the ‘Court of Neptune Fountain’ located in front of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. The artist Roland Hinton Perry at only 27 years old completed the sculptures in 1898 and they have remained ever since. In 1993, the fountain entered the historical registry and is regularly maintained to preserve its exterior. 

Multicolor text on a black background and a photograph of a man's head and shoulders with an illustration of a hat and party favor and a white speech bubble

This button produced by Busy Beaver Button Co. for National Pinback Button Day features William McKinley. McKinley was the 25th U.S. president and the first president to use pinback buttons. Pinback celluloid buttons were patented by the Whitehead & Hoag Co. in 1896, just in time for McKinley's first presidential campaign during which mass-produced political buttons were used to rally support for the Republican nominee. July 21, 2015 marked the 119th birthday of the pinback button's original 1896 patent date. Busy Beaver Button Co. continues to produce commemorative button designs for National Pinback Button Day each year.

Yellow and white text on a black background with an illustration of an airplane

Where Is Joe Merchant? is the title of Jimmy Buffet's novel, published in 1992 by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. Joe Merchant, the titular character, is a rockstar who has suddenly gone missing. His sister, Trevor, and her ex lover, Frank, set out to find Merchant. Although Jimmy Buffet is primarily known for his successful singing and songwriting career, this was his fourth novel and it topped the New York Times Best Seller List for seven months.