Gold background with green text with an inset photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the center of the button.

A proposal to name a national holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was made four days after his assassination in 1968 by congressman John Conyers. This appeal came as a way to commemorate Dr. King for his contributions to society and was to be observed on his birthday, January 15th.  The bill was introduced yearly but each time failed to gain support to be passed in Congress. By the late 1970s, the legislation gathered more support through signed petitions, endorsement by President Jimmy Carter and a national campaign by King’s widow, Coretta Scott King. The bill would eventually be signed into law in 1983, but only first observed three years later in 1986.

Blue and red text on a white background.

The history of labor unions in the United States began in the 1800s, with workers organizing together to demand better treatment, safety, and pay during the Industrial Revolution. Over the decades, organized labor has achieved such labor standards such as the minimum wage and maximum working hours, and workplace safety regulations. Labor union membership as a percentage of American workers peaked in the 1950s, with 35% of the labor force belonging to a union. Today that number is closer to 12%, with the most prominent unions in the public sector, such as teachers, government workers, and police. 

White text, a horizontal red line and the Body Shop logo on a black background.

The Body Shop was created in 1976 by a British human and environmental activist Anita Roddick and is one of the first cosmetic companies to prohibit animal testing with their products. Their iconic wreath logo debuted in 1976 and was modernized in 2004.The Body Shop began campaigning against animal testing in the cosmetic industry in 1989 and continued through the 1990s. A major success for the campaign came in 1998 when the UK government banned animal testing not only for cosmetics but for the ingredients as well.

Photograph of Karenna Gore on a multi-color tie-dye background.  White text inside blue circle and white text with drop shadow along bottom of button.

Karenna Gore is the oldest daughter of former Vice President Al Gore who was the Democratic nominee for President in the 2000 election running against Republican George W. Bush. In an attempt to reach young voters Gore helped her father's campaign as a youth outreach chair. She also heads “Gorenet,” an online resource to prepare students for professional careers.

Comic illustration of George Bush with black text on a white background.

Political cartoons can be used to diffuse a heavy political concept to make more palatable to an audience. American involvement in the Middle East is a controversial topic with many opinions on how America should be conducting foreign policy. Supporters argue that America has a duty to help foster democracy and intervene in areas where human rights are being violated. Other supporters argue America needs to keep close watch over areas filled with their enemies in order to prevent terrorist attacks.

Support for involvement in the Middle East is not universal and many oppose any involvement. Several members of the opposition do not believe that the United States is acting humanely and committing crimes of their own. Others believe that the United States has made little progress in the area and should cut its losses. There are those with isolationist ideals who think the United States should focus on itself and not use resources of the Middle East. Some have even suggested that the reasons to stay in the Middle East are more sinister and that the United States is only there for oil.

Photographs of Bill Clinton and Al Gore side by side with a small red silhouetted illustration of Wisconsin between them.  The middle of the button is half white and half blue with white text.  Blue outer border with red ring and white stars.

The Wisconsin Federation of Teachers, now the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, supported incumbent President William "Bill" Clinton and Vice President Albert "Al" Gore when they ran in the 53rd presidential election in the United States in 1996 by releasing promotional buttons. Clinton and Gore defeated the Republican candidate Robert "Bob" Dole and Reform candidate Ross Perot with 49.2% of votes from the electoral college and remained in office for another term. 

Red and blue text on a white background.
 

By definition, the term bushwhack means to ambush. In the run-up to the 1992 election, anti-George H. W. Bush memorabilia including shirts and buttons were produced that read, “We’ve Been Bushwhacked.” This clever double entendre conveys opponents’ resistance to a second Bush presidency all while describing the first term as an “ambush” on the American people. Bush ultimately lost the presidency to former Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, but whether or not the “bushwhacked” slogan was responsible for moving the needle in the election remains to be seen.

Color portrait of President Jimmy Carter, black text above and below on a white background.

Voters elected Democrat Jimmy Carter, a former Georgia State Senator and governor, as the 39th United States President in 1976. In his run for re-election, Carter lost the 1980 election to former California Governor Ronald Reagan. In New York state, Reagan beat Carter taking 46.66 percent of the vote while Carter took 43.99 percent. In Western New York, Carter won three counties — Niagara, Erie, and Monroe. On the eastern side, he took Albany, New York, Bronx, Kings, and Queens counties. The 1980 election is considered a political turning point — suburbs showed their voting power, including in the suburban areas surrounding New York City, which were won by Reagan. After losing the election, Carter returned to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and his peanut farm.

Black and white portrait photograph of Wendell Willkie.

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. 

Photograph of Wendell Lewis Willkie's head and shoulders on a black background.  Black text on a white outer border and two small illustrations of bald eagles on opposite ends of the button.

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.