Black and red text on a white background

This button is part of a series that General Electric designed in the mid 1960s. The buttons were distributed to high school students throughout New York to encourage them to do well and complete their education. While different slogans were used, each button featured the word GENIUS, with GE highlighted to emphasize General Electric's involvement in the campaign. 

Black text on a bright green background

Jimmy Carter ran as the Democratic candidate in the 1976 Presidential Election.  It was well-known that Carter was a former peanut farmer from Georgia and served as that state’s governor for two terms.  It was hoped that the reference to “grits” would help emphasize his Southern roots and would capture the votes of the Southern states.  Walter Frederick Mondale served as Carter’s running mate. 

Mondale was known to his family and friends as “Fritz” which was a possible shortening of his middle name.  The Carter-Mondale ticket won the 1976 election, and served for one administration.  Mondale later ran for President in the 1984 election, but lost by a land-slide to Ronald Reagan.

Portraits of President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale, green text above photographs.

Voters elected Democrat Jimmy Carter as the 39th United States President in 1976. His Vice President was U.S. Senator Walter Mondale from Minnesota. They took 50.1 percent of the vote compared to Republican candidate Gerald Ford and his running mate Bob Dole who captured 48 percent of the vote. Carter and Mondale remained in the White House until 1981 after losing the 1980 election to Republican Ronald Reagan and his running mate George H.W. Bush. After losing the election, Carter returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and his peanut farm.

Polar bear in the center, white text on top and bottom, black background.

The Philadelphia Zoo opened in 1874 and was America’s first zoo. The zoo’s bear pits were originally constructed in 1874, but they were replaced by the Bear Country exhibit in 1980. Bear Country with its waterfalls, brooks, and pools is home to polar bears, sloth bears, Andean bears, and Asiatic black bears. Polar bears come from the world’s Arctic regions, can weight up to 1,200 pounds, and can swim underwater for up to 2 minutes. Here is a video of polar bears at the Philadelphia zoo https://youtu.be/Y6zeZzbsB2w ​

White ecology symbol on a black background

Designed by political cartoonist Rob Cobb, the symbol for "Ecology" began to appear during the late 1960s. First published in the counterculture Los Angeles Free Press, it was then displayed on the first Earth Day in 1969. In the spring of 1970, it appeared on the cover of Look magazine's "Earth Day" issue. The symbology of the image combines the letters "E" to represent "environment" and "O" for "organism." The design comprises many shapes that belong to ecological philosophical concepts; it can be decoded with Cobb's accompanying poster. The image is copyright-free and has since become synonymous with Earth Day and the Green Movement.

Black text and illustrations of flowers on a bright pink background

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Photographs of Ronald Reagan and George Bush on a white background.  Outer edge of button is divided in half.  Upper portion is red with white text, lower portion is blue with white text.  Republican "elephant" symbols on edge between division of red and blue.

On January 20, 1981, Ronald R. Reagan became President of the United States of America. Although Reagan’s campaign during the primaries had been successful, it wasn’t until the night before accepting his nomination that Reagan called and offered George H. W. Bush the role as running mate. The next day at the Republican National Convention on July 17, 1980, Ronald Reagan formally accepted his nomination and announced that Bush would be running as his Vice Presidential candidate. Reagan had been behind in the polls, but he made an incredible comeback after the presidential debates. On November 4, 1980, Reagan and Bush won.

The following January, Reagan and Bush were sworn into their roles as President and Vice President of the Unites States of America. During Reagan’s first official speech as president, he stressed the importance of working together as Americans to build a better nation and the necessity to rework the federal government for the people. Inauguration Day was filled with speeches, food, marching bands, parade floats, and the Inaugural Ball. It was during the festivities that the new president had the honor to announce that American prisoners were safely in transit back from Iran after an extended period as captives. A total of 8,000 Americans walked or rode by during the parade on that day.

Photograph of Wendell Willkie on a black background with white text.

Born on February 18, 1892, Wendell Willkie was an American lawyer and corporate executive who is perhaps best known for being the 1940 Republican nominee for President. Campaigning against President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Willkie actively campaigned against Roosevelt's New Deal policy as well as for a more active role for the United States in World War II. On election day, President Roosevelt received twenty-seven million votes to Willkie's twenty-two million, and also held a substantial lead in the Electoral College with four hundred and forty-nine to Willkie's eighty-two.

Despite his loss, Willkie, to the surprise of many in his party, became an unlikely ally to the President. Between 1941 and 1943, Willkie embarked on numerous trips abroad, acting as the President's informal envoy. Willkie actively pushed for the United States to provide unlimited aid to Britain in their struggle against Nazi Germany. After returning to campaign once more for President in 1944, Willkie suffered a series of heart attacks, forcing him to leave the campaign. Willkie finally succumbed to a heart attack and died in 1944 at the age of fifty-two. Willkie is remembered and hailed for providing President Roosevelt with political assistance that proved vital to helping America's allies during World War II. 

Illustration of Ronald Reagan wearing a bowler hat with a shamrock tucked in the hat band with green text on a white background.

In 1981, Ronald Reagan addressed the country on March 16 to acknowledge and thank the contributions of Irish Americans.

"Nancy and I are delighted to wish a most happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone. It has been said that "the Irish, like the presence of God, are to be found everywhere.'' And that is certainly true. Even the Reagan family, with roots in Ballyporeen, County Tipperary, is rumored to have a home in Washington, D.C. In the name of every American, we gratefully honor the contributions of Irish Americans in every walk of life down through our nation's history. Just as St. Patrick brought the light of faith to Ireland, so Ireland, in turn, has given many gifted men and women to America. On this St. Patrick's Day, let us remember all our great Irish Americans. And let all sons and daughters of Erin keep green their Irish heritage, for their own sake and for the continued enrichment of American life."

Illustration of 5-pointed star inside a black square with black, red and blue text on a white background.

The 76^th Annual Missouri State Democratic Convention took place on Saturday, May 13 2000 at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Missouri. At the convention, the Missouri Democratic Party nominated Al Gore for President, Mel Carnahan for Senator, and Bob Holden for Governor. Al Gore was serving as the 45^th Vice President of United States under President Bill Clinton during the 2000 presidential campaign. It was his second presidential run and he lost the election to the Republican candidate George W. Bush. Bob Holden was the 42^nd State Treasurer of Missouri during his campaign. He won the gubernatorial election against the Republican candidate Jim Talent and became the 53^rd Governor of Missouri.

Mel Carnaham was finishing up his second term as the 51^st Governor of Missouri at the time of the campaign. However, he died unexpectedly in a plane crash just three weeks before the election. His widow, Jean Carnaham, unofficially became the new Democratic candidate in place of her husband. Carnaham was elected posthumously to the US Senate and she held his seat for two years.