Illustration of barefoot child wearing patched up clothes standing in front of trash can filled beyond capacity with nuclear missiles with white text on a red background.

Around one million people gathered together in New York's Central Park to protest nuclear weapons on June 12, 1982. It was the largest antinuclear demonstration and at the the time it was also the largest political demonstration in the history of the U.S. The main focus of the rally was nuclear disarmament while some participants were also protesting president Reagan's spending on nuclear weapons, linking it to poverty in minority communities.

White text on a blue background.

For two weeks prior to the running of the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Derby Festival Association sponsors the Kentucky Derby Festival. The Festival ran from 1935-37 and after an almost 20 year hiatus, restarted again in 1956. Activities include an air show, a fireworks display, a hot-air balloon race, a steamboat race, a parade, both a marathon and mini-marathon, and the basketball classic. One of the long time traditions of the festival includes the Royal Court where the official “queen” is selected by the spin of a wheel.

Illustration of cartoon rabbit wearing a black shirt holding a bomb in each hand with a red fox below it with black and red text inside a yellow starburst on a black background.

Hobo Day is a tradition at South Dakota State University that goes back to November 2, 1912. It replaced the Nightshirt Parade which was the primary homecoming tradition from 1907-1911. South Dakota State University got the idea of Hobo Day from the University of Missouri. Traditionally, men grow beards and both men and women dress as hobos. The entire week of homecoming events incorporates the hobo theme and includes a Hobo Parade, a Bummobile, Hobo Camps, and the Miss Homelycoming pagent.

Blue text outlines in white on a red background with an illustration of a foot in a soccer shoe

The American Olympic Association was formed in November 1921, the name was changed to the United States of America Sports Federation in 1940, and lastly to the United States Olympic Association in 1945. Olympic games are funded nationally, meaning each country must sponsor their athletes. The National Olympic Committees' funding comes from their government, corporate sponsorship and personal fundraising.

Black and white photographic still of King Kong encircled by white text.

The Empire State Building in Manhattan was the tallest building in the world for almost 40 years.  Its 102 story height of 1,454 feet was topped by the North Tower of the original World Trade Center in 1970.  A cultural icon, the Empire State Building has been a central location in a number of films.  One of the best known is 1933’s King Kong.  In the film, the giant ape makes his way to the top of the building while trying to escape his captors.  The Empire State Building is a popular tourist destination and offers observation decks on both the 86th and 102nd floors.

Illustration of circle divided into eight equal segments colored either blue, orange, yellow, red or green with smiling cartoon orca whale emerging from a blue circle in the center.

SeaWorld is a chain of theme parks located in San Diego, Orlando, San Antonio, and Abu Dhabi. The park includes thrill rides, such as roller coasters and splash rides, as well as performances featuring animals and their trainers. In particular, SeaWorld is well-known for theatrical killer whale shows. The park has been open since 1964 and was highly successful until more recent years when the parks received backlash over their controversial breeding programs and theatrical shows. In 2016, SeaWorld ended their in-park Orca breeding program and announced that they would be ending their killer whale shows as well.

Blue text and a blue and white illustration of a Beaver in sportswear running and a city in the background on a white background

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Black and red text on a yellow background, Pepsi logo on bottom.

In 1975, PepsiCo ran a marketing campaign called "The Pepsi Challenge." It was a blind taste test where shoppers at malls and other public areas were asked to drink out of two different white cups - one cup contained Pepsi, while the other contained Coca-Cola. After drinking both, the shoppers were asked to select which drink they preferred. The results revealed that most Americans prefer Pepsi.  

Illustration of opposing blue and red hands with thumbs extended on a white background.  White text on the palms and wrists of each hand.

The "Rally for Sanity and/or Fear" was an event put on by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert of the Comedy Central Channel on October 30, 2010. The rally was held at the National Mall in Washington DC and over 200,000 people attended. Stewart and Colbert put on the rally in order to give average Americans a chance to have a voice in the American political conversation. Buttons for the event were designed and printed by the Busy Beaver Button co. of Chicago and only 100 were made to be given away.

Thin zig zag line going diagonally through center of button.  Pink text on a purple background. 

This button was most likely worn by protestors during the 1967 March on the Pentagon. On October 21 and 22, 1967, hundreds of thousands of protestors marched on Washington D.C. to oppose the Vietnam War. One event that weekend was the March on the Pentagon during which protestors aimed to famously "levitate" the Pentagon building. About 50,000 people marched from the Lincoln Memorial to the Pentagon. Around 650 people were arrested for civil disobedience.