Illustration of a ventriloquist doll wearing a monocle and top hat inside a white circle.  White text on a black outer ring.

Edgar Bergen (1903-1978) was an American ventriloquist and radio comedian who often acted as the foil of his puppet partner, Charlie McCarthy. Though Bergen created him during his years in high school, Charlie was first introduced to audiences in 1936 on American singer and actor, Rudy Vallée's radio program. Recognized for his famous top hat, monocle, and tuxedo, Charlie had the personality of a mischievous and wisecracking little boy whose banter with Bergen became a national hit. Bergen and Charlie's dynamic was so successful that the duo were given cast roles as part of the Chase and Sanborn Hour, which over time became one of radio's highest rated programs. The show remained a hit up until its end when it left the air in 1956. In addition, Bergen also brought Charlie to CBS for a new weekly program, The Charlie McCarthy Show, which also enjoyed success with audiences. Upon the shows conclusion, Bergen and Charlie made numerous appearances on a variety of talk shows and performances.​

Illustration of 3 blue overlapping oval shapes with red text on a white background.

Stuyvesant High School is a public, magnet school located within Manhattan in New York City, New York. The school opened in 1904 as an all boys trade school. By the 1910s, the school had taken a specialized turn towards mathematics and science and was quickly renowned for it’s academic prowess.

In 1967, a lawsuit was filed against the Board of Education by a female student for not being allowed to take the entrance exam based on her sex. The lawsuit went to trial and was ruled in favor of the female student; the school has admitted females from then on.

The term G.O. stands for Government Organization which was a form of student government.

Illustration in blue of a storage chest inside a white circle with red text.  White text on a red outer border.

A community chest as depicted in the illustration was also known as a war chest during WWI and WWII. The Community Chest (organization) was founded in 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio, and it allocated campaign funds through charity to address the problems of a rapidly expanding metropolitan area. In 1918, WWI brought refinements in fundraising. To save time and money, the Red Cross and YMCA formed a campaign known as “War Chest” and raised over 6 million dollars, surpassing the goal for the drive. The War Chest led the Community Chest to popularity in 1919, encompassing 92 agencies and bringing over 4 million dollars in its first campaign.

During WWII, the Community Chest again ran the War Chest campaign to investigate the possibility of a more complete federation of charitable work. Throughout the years, the Community Chest expanded to bring communities across 40 countries and territories to improve the quality of education, financial stability, and health. Today, the Community Chest is known as The United Way. This artifact may have been worn in the 1940s to represent volunteer service during wartime campaigns.

Illustration of waving American flag with black text on a white background.

The Chautauqua club was a traveling series of lectures with the goal to educate Americans, specifically Americans living in rural areas. This began in 1874 when a businessman, Lewis Miller, and a Methodist minister, John Heyl Vincent formed the club in Lake Chautauqua, New York to educate people to become Sunday school teachers. It evolved into a combination of education and entertainment, with lectures and performances, eventually inspiring dozens of other similar clubs. The idea was to bring the culture of American cities to a broader audience.  After over sixty years the Chautauqua clubs began to dwindle with the onset of the Great Depression. During its height, it shaped conversations on American social issues, culture, and politics and was even described by Teddy Roosevelt as “the most American thing in America.”

The Chautauqua club was part of a greater increase in focus on American education and was preceded by the Lyceum movement. Today the legacy of the Chautauqua club still exists in New York State. The Chautauqua Institution continues the same ideas of the late 19th century, with programs, lectures, symphony performances, theater, and opera.

Illustration of man with short red hair and white shirt holding a glass with two hands, drinking from it with a long straw.  Pink, green and black text on a white background.

Bennigan's, a Irish-themed pub chain restaurant in the United States, celebrated Halloween 1984 in locations around the country with eight days of festivities. On Halloween night 1984, the celebrations included magicians, a costume contest with a $250 prize, and other surprises like giveaways. Some of the giveaway items from the celebration included buttons and pint mugs reading "Halloween 1984" and "Phantom's Potion."  

Illustration of a large mushroom with two smaller mushrooms below it.  Black text on an orange background.

Every autumn since 1968 the towns of Berwyn and Cicero, Illinois, have celebrated their Czech and Slovak heritages with the Houby Festival. Houby is the Bohemian word for mushroom, symbolizing the annual Czech and Slovak harvest and cultural dishes. Bohemians immigrated to the Chicago area in the 1900s, but their communities have dwindled in recent decades. The festival now brings together people from various backgrounds and surrounding communities. Festival events have included a pageant, carnival, parade, and live music. The parade has been toted as one of the largest in Chicago’s suburbs.

Illustration of a black bat with white eyes with red text on a yellow background.

Red outer edge with yellow text on the top and bottom of the button. In the middle section is an image of Jerry Lewis's face holding a telephone while looking over the planet.

Jerry Lewis (1926-2017) was an American comedian, actor, director, and humanitarian. In addition, Lewis served as the national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Muscular Dystrophy results in the weakening and deterioration of skeletal muscles over a period of time. Through his role with the organization, Lewis hosted the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon for 45 years. Broadcast during the Labor Day weekend, Lewis established the telethon to raise awareness and establish funds to combat MDA. The image that appears on this pin was used in 1974 to promote the event. Lewis remained as host from its 1966 inception until 2010. Though there is no known cure to Muscular Dystrophy, the telethon is estimated to have raised $2.45 billion for MDA research between 1966 and 2009. 

Cartoon-style Illustration of a blue rhino wearing sunglasses with blue text on a white background.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is a 49 acre zoo located in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo was founded in 1868 when Lincoln Park Commissioners were gifted four swans by Central Park’s Board of Commissioners.  Lincoln Park Zoo is a non-profit institution managed by the Lincoln Park Zoological Society and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is one of the oldest zoos in America and home to approximately 200 different species of animals, many of which are rare and endangered. The zoo attracts thousands of visitors a year and is one of America’s last free admission zoos.  

Illustration of two men, one on the left wearing a kings' crown and royal robes, and the one on the right wearing a red 'devil' outfit with horns, black eye mask, beard and goatee pointing a black gloved hand to the other man..  The man on the left is blowing a cloud of steam into the center of the button with red and black text and musical notes inside the cloud.  Above the cloud is a grey-colored image of a person's torso surrounded by flames.  White text along the top and bottom edge of the button with a grey background.

The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is an annual festival in Saint Paul, Minnesota. First celebrated in 1886, the festival came about when newspapers reported that upon visiting the city of Saint Paul in the winter, the area resembled that of another Siberia, unfit for human habitation. Deciding to retaliate and prove that the city was one of beauty and activity, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce began the festival to showcase the wonders and beauty of Minnesota Winters. According to tradition and legend, King Boreas, known as the "King of the Winds", came across Saint Paul and deemed it the capital of his domains. Meanwhile, Vulcanus Rex, the God of Fire, and also Boreas's sworn enemy, stepped forward to oppose Boreas and his land. Vulcanus swore to blister Boreas by unleashing heat and fire upon the land. Undaunted, Boreas proclaimed a celebration in opposition to Vulcanus. For ten days the people of Saint Paul enjoyed feasts, dancing and fun in celebration of Boreas and the sacred land on which they stood. Thus began the Winter Carnival which still continues to be celebrated to this day.