Black and white photograph of a man's head and shoulders on a white background with a blue outer edge with white text on it

In 1960, the National States Rights Party nominated Orval Eugene Faubus for President and retired Navy Admiral John Crommelin of Alabama for Vice-President at a secret meeting. Faubus did not actively campaign and only received 0.07% of the votes, losing to the John F. Kennedy/Lyndon B. Johnson ticket. 

Orval Faubus was a member of the United States Democratic Party who in 1936 ran for, but lost, a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives at the age of 26.  He was elected as the circuit clerk and recorder for Madison County before joining the United States Army and serving as an intelligence officer in World War II. After returning from the war, Faubus was elected as the Governor of Arkansas in 1954. His name became internationally known when he used the Arkansas National Guard to prevent African-American students from attending Little Rock Central High School in 1957, as part of federally-ordered racial desegregation. President Dwight Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them back to their armories, removing them from Faubus' control. Some believe that Faubus' decision was politically motivated to shield him from fallout that had come with the passage of a tax intended to increase teacher salaries. Faubus decided not to seek reelection as Governor in 1966, but returned to vie for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1970 and 1974, losing each time. His final race was in 1986 against Bill Clinton, who defeated Faubus and went on to become Governor of Arkansas, and later, President of the United States. Faubus passed away in 1994. 

Black and white photographs of two men's head and shoulders with a blue ribbon like banner at the top with white text on a white background with an outer red edge

Družina Za Svobodu roughly translates to “an alliance for freedom” in Czech and Slovak. However, this button features two American politicians: Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and his running-mate, William E. Miller. Czech- and Slovak-Americans and other immigrants from Eastern Bloc countries were often interested in candidates with a strong anti-Communist stance, and the Republican Party courted these “white ethnic” voters in the 1960s. In the 1964 campaign, Goldwater criticized his opponent, incumbent president Lyndon Baines Johnson, for giving in to communist aggression. Specifically, for tolerating the existence of a communist state (Cuba) so close to American territory.

White text on a red and blue background

The 1948 presidential election is often considered to be the greatest election upset in American history. Thomas Dewey, Governor of New York, and Earl Warren, Governor of California, made up the Republican Party ticket. Dewey and Warren ran against incumbent President Harry S. Truman, who had succeeded to the presidency after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in 1945. 

Nearly all predictions and polls predicted that Dewey would defeat Truman. Many newspapers and magazines prepared articles naming Dewey as the next President. Most notably, the Chicago Daily Tribune even printed the headline "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN". The Democratic party appeared to be split ideologically; two new parties had formed. The Progressive Party nominated Henry Wallace and Strom Thurmond was nominated by the States' Rights Democratic Party. Despite the three-way split and Truman's diminishing popularity, he narrowly defeated Dewey on Election Day. 

Green text on a white background with a green outer edge

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. was a peanut farmer who served as Georgia State Senator from 1963 to 1967, and Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. In 1976, he was nominated by the Democratic Party as their presidential candidate. Carter selected Senator Walter Mondale from Minnesota as his running mate. With the Watergate scandal still fresh in the minds of voters, Carter was viewed as an outsider, which proved to be an asset. The Carter/Mondale ticket narrowly defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford in the general election, making Carter the 39th President of the United States. 

In 1980, Carter faced challengers from all directions (Independent John Anderson, Democrat Ted Kennedy and Republican Ronald Reagan). While Carter was able to secure the re-nomination of the Democratic Party, voters had grown increasingly dissatisfied, and Reagan was elected in a landslide. In 1982, Carter established the Carter Center, a non-profit that promotes human rights. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work through the Carter Center. 

Red and white text on a blue and white background

John R. Rarick ran for United States President as the nominee of the American Independent Party (AIP) in 1980. An attorney, Rarick was a state district court judge in St. Francisville, Louisiana from 1961 to 1966 before serving as the representative of the Sixth Congressional District in the United States Congress from 1967 to 1975. Rarick was a member of the Democratic Party, but he grew frustrated with his party's increasingly liberal philosophies. In his congressional campaign, Rarick ran on a segregationist, anti-federal government platform.

Rarick supported American Independent Party candidate George Wallace for president against Democrat Hubert Humphrey and Republican Richard Nixon in 1968. Rarick was stripped of seniority by the House Democratic Caucus for having openly supported Wallace. In 1974, the Democratic Party refused to renominate Rarick for his congressional seat. In 1976, Rarick ran failed campaigns both to return to Congress and to receive the AIP's presidential nomination. In the 1980 general election, Ronald Reagan was elected as US President. One of ten candidates, Rarick only appeared on the ballot in eight states,and received just over 40,000 (0.05%) votes. 

Red text and blue stars on white background with blue-and-white photograph of Gabriel Green in center. 

Gabriel Green was a write-in candidate for United States President in 1960 and 1972. The slogan on this button refers to his failed 1960 campaign and Abraham Lincoln's successful bid for President in 1860. Green was a "UFOlogist" who claimed to have had contact with extraterrestrials. He was a photographer who founded the Amalgamated Flying Saucer Clubs of America, Inc. and announced he had met with men from the unknown planet, "Korender". During Green's 1960 presidential campaign, he stated that he represented the "Universal Flying Saucer Party" and that his political platform was based on "United World Universal Economics", 

Black and white photograph of a man in a suit in the center with black text above and below on a white background

James John Walker (1881-1946), the son of Irish immigrants, served as Mayor of New York City from 1925-1932. Walker was well-known for his flamboyant style and love of the Broadway theatre and speakeasies. During his second administration the New York Legislature levied 15 charges against Walker stemming from an investigation which uncovered instances of extensive corruption. As a result of the scandal, Walker resigned in 1932 and left the country with Betty Compton, the Ziegfeld Girl he was seeing at the time. They toured Europe for several years and married. When he was confident the scandal had subsided, Walker returned to the U.S. and later became president of The Majestic Records Company.

Illustration of an American flag and blue text on a white background

The Selective Service Act was passed by Congress on May 18, 1917 and authorized the President of the United States to increase military numbers through mandatory enlistment. All men aged 21 to 30 years of age were required to register for military service for a period of 12 months. District boards oversaw local boards, which were established for each county (or similar division) in each state. There were three registrations during World War I, the first of which was held on the date listed on this button, June 5, 1917. As Chilton, Wisconsin is located in Calumet County, a registrant with this button would have received either roll number W16 (for surnames beginning with A-K) or W17 (for surnames beginning with L-Z). 

Black text on white background, black-and-white illustration of a New Salem village store. 

The New Salem State Park is a reconstruction of the village of New Salem in Illinois where President Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. The land was purchased by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst and given to the Old Salem Chautauqua Association in 1906. In 1919, the land was gifted to the state of Illinois and later rebuilt by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The historic site features log cabins and shops, representing the time period when Lincoln resided there. One of the buildings is the Berry-Lincoln store, owned by Lincoln and William F. Berry. Although Lincoln enjoyed working as a shopkeeper, selling lard, bacon, firearms, beeswax, honey and liquor, the business failed, leaving him with a great deal of debt. Located 20 miles northwest of Springfield, Illinois, New Salem was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and is open to the public for tours of the village, hiking and camping. 

Blue, red and white text on a red and white background 

On January 30, 1942, a ball was held for President Franklin Roosevelt’s Diamond Jubilee Birthday at the Union Club Building on Hudson and Sixth Streets, Hoboken, New Jersey. A similar event was held in other cities and towns around on the country. Fifty percent of the proceeds of the ball were donated to the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, also known as the March of Dimes. Cost for attendance was one dollar. Roosevelt, a polio sufferer himself, was a strong supporter of the organization and close friend of its long-time president, Basil O’Connor.

In 1955 the FDA approved a polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk, a March of Dimes, grantee. The vaccine eradicated the disease in just a few years. In 1958 at a press conference held in the grand ballroom of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, Basil O’Connor announced the March of Dimes new mission was the prevention of birth defects.