Illustration of two nude characters and black text on a green background

Created by New Zealand artist Kim Casali in the 1960s, "Love is..." comics were little love-type notes for her then fiancé Roberto Casali. The cartoons are one frame, drawn in black and white with “Love Is “ in the upper left corner, and then a drawing with the sentiment underneath. The couple in the comic are nude and the woman always has light long hair and the man has short dark hair. They are seen doing things together, being happy, thinking of each other when apart, and just being in love. 

The comic strip was first published in 1970. Each one is individual, there is no series or continuation. In 1972, the most popular of the comics appeared: "Love Is...being able to say you are sorry" and was marketed internationally. Today the comic strip is distributed through Tribune Media Services. 

Illustration of Peanuts character, Franklin facing right with a blue and purple background.​

First introduced in the July 31, 1968 edition of Peanuts, Franklin Armstrong is a friend of Charlie Brown and is the first African-American character to appear in the comic strip. Franklin's creation came when Harriet Glickman, a Los Angeles schoolteacher wrote to the comics creator, Charles Schulz, and asked him to include African-American characters into the comic. Though initially hesitant, Schulz continued to stay in contact with Glickman over the next few months and eventually, Schulz agreed to include an African-American child into the story.

Upon his introduction, Franklin was presented as a classmate to Peppermint Patty and Marcie. First introduced to each other on a beach, Franklin immediately strikes up a friendship with Charlie Brown and from there remained a permanent addition to the Peanuts cast. Though the comic ended in 1999, Franklin, like the rest of the Peanuts characters, has continued to be seen in other media, such as animated specials and movies. ​

Blue text on a white background with blue and silver letters in the center with blue lightning bolts coming out of the sides

The Wagner Act of 1935 acknowledged workers’ right to bargain collectively and form unions. Workers at the Allen-Bradley factory in Milwaukee unionized in May 1937 as Local 1111 of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers. Repeated strikes and periodic contract negotiations with the company, which thrived after World War II, led to better pay and benefits for workers. Over time, the plant shifted industrial production to rural areas of Wisconsin and other countries. Rockwell International bought Allen-Bradley in 1985, and moved more production out of Milwaukee. The last union contract with Local 1111 ended in July 2010, and the union no longer exists.

Blue illustration of a bell with white text on on it on a white background

The Bell Telephone Company was founded in 1877, after the invention of the telephone a year prior by Alexander Graham Bell. By 1885, the company began to construct a network of telephone and telegraph lines across the nation designed for consumer and business use. By 1892, the project had reached Chicago with plans to expand across the entire continent. By 1899, the company had grown so large it became reorganized under the name American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T). After two decades the workers formed the Communication Workers of America (CWA) Union to act as a representative for the employees. By 1968, tensions between AT&T and the CWA reached a fever pitch resulting in a mass strike. Over 200,000 workers walked off the job in protest of higher wages and benefits. After only 18 days, the company caved and gave the workers the pay and benefits increase of 20% over three years that they demanded. 

White text with a purple drop shadow on a red background and with a blue checkmark on a white square.

Greenpeace launched Project Hot Seat to urge legislators to take action against global warming through the engagement of U.S. citizens. This non-partisan, grass roots campaign has been in operation since approximately 2006 to put congressional leaders in the “hot seat” to aggressively address global warming issues, such as energy policy.

Yellow and blue text over a brownish background with a color photograph of a dog

Pet rescues can be found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Animals taken into rescues are usually strays, older dogs, unwanted dogs, and those deemed not serviceable by breeders. Rescues are usually run by volunteers and depend on donations to take care of the animals. Many rescues are breed specific. Rescue dogs have been proven to be loyal, loving and make wonderful companions.

White text over a black background with an illustration of a woman's head and shoulders with a split down the middle

“Never another battered woman” was one of three main slogans of the early movement against domestic violence, alongside “stop rape,” and “we can all be battered and raped.” It has become the rallying cry of organizations such as Strengthen our Sisters, a non-profit founded by Sandra Ramos, a well-known advocate, which operates seven shelters and halfway houses for battered women, along with childcare centers to help ease the transition to a new life. Strengthen our Sisters, and other organizations like it, have printed “never another battered woman” on t-shirts as a means of fundraising and raising awareness. The movement, which began in the 1970s, can be traced as far back as 1871, when the United States first acknowledged the act as a crime. Other notable milestones include the development of shelter services starting in 1974, hospital protocol for suspected domestic violence in 1977, the creation of Domestic Abuse Intervention programs in 1980, and the foundation of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

White and red text over a red line on a black background

In 1985, the Illinois State Medical Society reported that five times as many malpractice suits were filed that year as had been five years previously. The report argued that this steep increase posed a risk to the consumer as well as the physician, as it resulted in expensive 'defensive medicine', or tests ordered by doctors not because they are in the best interest of the patient, but rather to protect from liability. The increase in lawsuits also created higher premiums for malpractice insurance, which in turn drove up the cost of patient care. However, attorneys at the time argued that restricting the circumstances of malpractice suits risked protecting doctors who were genuinely guilty of patient endangerment. Eventually, the Illinois Congress passed the Illinois Medical Malpractice Reform Act of 1985, which created panels specifically for handling malpractice cases and limited attorney fees in an attempt to reduce strain on Illinois physicians.

Light blue background with black text. Illustration of Smokey Bear holding a shovel in the center.

Created in 1944 by the Ad Council in collaboration with artist, Albert Staehle, Smokey Bear is an American advertising mascot who works to educate the general public on the dangers of wildfires. Known for his slogan, "Remember... only YOU can prevent forest fires, Smokey Bear has been a notable part of American culture since his creation and continues to be featured in a variety of advertisements. Though well-known for his advertisements, Smokey Bear has an equally famous living symbol.

The living symbol of Smokey Bear was an American black bear who was in 1950 was caught in the Capitan Gap fire, a wildfire which affected roughly 17,000 acres of land. The three-month-old cub was rescued from the blaze and upon being treated for his minor injuries was given to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. The cub, by then named Smokey, made national headlines. Smokey remained a popular part of the zoo, receiving hundreds of gifts and letters from his fans Living at the zoo until his death in 1976, Smokey became a wildfire prevention legend and in the process, became the living symbol of the original Smokey Bear.

Black text around the outer edge with an illustration of a greyhound over a red, white and blue shape on a white background

On November 2, 1983, more than 100 Greyhound bus drivers walked off the job to protest impending wage cuts as the company struggled to compete with new bus companies in the newly deregulated market. The strikes lasted through December 20th, at which time union workers reached an agreement with Greyhound to return to work in exchange for a smaller wage and pension reduction. However, the strike marked the decline of the bus industry as cars became more essential, especially as bus service to non-city areas was greatly reduced in the beginning of the 1990s.