Black and gray photograph of Huey Newton surrounded by black text on a blue background

Huey Percy Newton (1942-1989) was a political activist who co-founded the Black Panther Party along with Bobby Seale in 1966. The core mission of the group was to organize the Black community to prevent police abuse and racial discrimination. In 1967, Newton was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of a police officer, resulting in a prison sentence. His trial and imprisonment sparked protests which adopted the slogan “Free Huey”. In 1970, the conviction was overturned when it became clear that Newton had acted in self-defense. “Justice for Huey” was not only justice for an individual person but was a representation of an entire race and community experiencing oppression. Huey Newton is attributed with being one of the most important Black civil rights leaders in American History.

Color image of a jester wearing a red cap and a blue cape gesturing to an ornate building behind him; fireworks are shooting off above the building

The figure in the foreground is dressed as a “court jester,” a staple employee in medieval royal courts. The traditional costume of a jester included a pointed hat, or one with animal ears, adorned with bells. Sporting a silly grin, the jester would be a master of wit, and the only person in a court who could criticize and mock the aristocracy without penalization. The jester’s position within the court would give them close access to the king and other high ranking members.

In the picture, the jester is pointing to the building behind him by using just his thumb. This sort of behavior is a “gesture,” a movement of the body to convey an idea. Another example of a gesture is waving a hand at someone as a nonvocal means of saying hello. Many societies have hand gestures which can be read as an insult to the receiver. To give a “thumbs up” is a sign of approval, while the “thumbs down” demonstrates rejection or disapproval. This thumb gesture can be traced back to Ancient Rome, and has been carried through to the 21st century by being translated into emoji.

So the art on the button demonstrates a clever play on words: a jester gestures.

Button is divided in half: red background with white text above and blue and white vertical stripes on the bottom half. A white oblong shape with red text and three interlocking circles is on the striped background.

P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company, founded in 1840, is one of the oldest breweries in the United States. Their most successful brand is Ballantine Ale and Beer. The three-ring trademark of Ballantine is an iconic symbol representing the brewery’s beer qualities: purity, strength, and flavor. Ballantine Ale and Beer were best described as having a high alcohol content and produced one of the first IPAs in the late 19th century. 

Unfortunately, the higher alcohol content and bold hoppy flavor were not appealing to the general public in comparison to the popular American lagers. This competition resulted in the decline of Ballantine's sales throughout the 1960s and in 1972, Ballantine Ale and Beer was purchased by Falstaff Brewing Corporation. Falstaff was then acquired by Pabst Brewing Company in the 1980s. Since then, the original recipes have been changed multiple times. Pabst Brewing Company periodically reintroduces Ballantine Ale and finally, in 2014, the well-loved beer was re-released extensively. 

Brown text on a yellow background

The Prostitute’s Union of Massachusetts (PUMA) was an organization that was an affiliate of a prostitute’s rights organization COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) which was formed by Margo St. James in 1973. Later, the parent organization for sex worker advocacy groups became the National Task Force on Prostitution. These advocacy groups focused on destigmatizing sex work, and advocating for sex workers basic human rights and decriminalization as a path to building more safety in the profession. PUMA and other advocacy groups across the country were founded off decades of sex worker advocacy and women’s rights groups. Archival material about these advocacy groups is held at a number of institutions, including Northeastern University, Duke University, and Harvard. 

Red button with black text and black image of an open checkbook. 

A share draft account is similar to a checking account at a for-profit bank, but operated by credit unions. Profit generated by a credit union is distributed among its members, representing a “share.” This represents the member’s portion of ownership in the credit union. At a for-profit bank, private investors collect the profits.

Red text with white shadowing and larger, white text against green background

Edward M. 'Ted' Kennedy (1932-2009) was a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, representing the Democratic Party and continuing the legacy of his political family. As the youngest son of Rose and businessman Joseph P. Kennedy, he followed in the political footsteps of his brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was an early progressive liberal during times of conservative prominence, known as a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and women's reproductive rights in contrast to his Catholic upbringing. 

His political career started in 1962 in the U.S. Senate and in 1969 he gained support as a potential Democratic presidential nominee. However, his presidential aspirations came to an abrupt halt when it came out that Kennedy had left the scene of a car accident that resulted in the death of a young woman, Mary Jo Kopechne. In 1970, he was reelected as U.S. senator, and had a robust career as a senator for the next thirty years. Throughout his career he was known to have a neutral approach towards Republicans, gaining respect from both parties.

White background with a color illustration of Bette Midler with black text above

Born in 1945, Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, comedian, and author. She began her career performing in off-off Broadway plays and singing at the Continental Baths, a local gay bathhouse in New York where she was able to gain a following. She released a studio album in 1972 entitled The Divine Miss M. which gave nod to her trademark persona. The album went platinum and earned her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1973. That same year she was originally set to perform at New York City’s Palace Theater from December 3rd - 15th but it was extended through December 22nd, due to high demand. Every performance was sold out ahead of its engagement due to Midler's popularity. The synopsis of the show was described as “Bette Midler performs an evening of pop standards, rock, and other music on Broadway”. Barry Manilow is credited and performed as the music director of the shows. Meanwhile, the image depicting Midler and her iconic red hair was the featured image for the tour and playbills. 

Color illustration of a brown horse on a yellow background with dark brown text around the outer rim

Dr. A. C. Daniels was a veterinarian who began to make and sell his own products in the late 1870s. His medicinal compounds were available for horses, cows, sheep, and dogs, with poultry and cat formulas being developed later on. In 1903, Dr. Daniels created a wooden toy for cats, which could be filled with catnip for the domestic feline’s (and their human’s) amusement; a first for the United States. Dr. Daniels’ company still exists today marketing catnip and toys “promoting feline happiness since 1878.”

Illustration of a woman wearing a dress and hat designed to look like the American flag. She is looking over her shoulder to the viewer, holding a deck of cards designed to look like flags of other countries. Above the illustration is blue text on a white background. 

The Cheer-up Society was organized by women in South Australia during the First World War. Its goal was to provide comfort to the soldiers, lifting their spirits and encouraging them in the fight. The organization hosted “Cheer-Up Huts,” where the soldiers could assemble to relax, read, and get a meal. One method used by the society to raise funds was to hold “Button Days,” in which people could purchase pinback buttons such as this to contribute to the cause.

On April 20, 1917 the United States officially joined in fighting with the Allies, which led to celebrations in Great Britain and Australia. The American flag is included in the hand of cards Lady Liberty is holding — with these powers combined the war would soon be won.

Black and white image of a women set in a rectangular shape in the middle of the button with black text on white background on both sides of image.

Born in Delaware to communist parents, Deirdre Griswold ran for president in 1980 as the Worker’s World Party’s candidate. She is the editor of Worker’s World, an American communist newspaper that was created in 1959 by the Marxist-Leninist World Worker’s Party. Griswold has written several books and has even appeared on the FOX News television network  as a defendant of North Korea. Her presidential campaign paired her with communist running mate, Gavrielle Holmes, and garnered 0.02% of the total vote.