White text on blue background, with illustration of the globe and periodic table of the elements displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry. 

One of the exhibits in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry's Regenstein Hall of Chemistry is an enormous (30' x 5') Periodic Table of the Elements. Examples of many of the elements are displayed along with a list of their uses, and visitors may push a button to hear Tom Lehrer's 1959 song "The Elements" while they explore the exhibit. 

The Museum of Science and Industry was established with the help of Sears, Roebuck and Company president Julius Rosenwald to convert the Palace of Fine Arts in 1926. The first opening ceremony of the museum was during the Century of Progress International Exposition, a World's Fair held in 1933, with a theme of "technological innovation". 

Blue text and an illustration of a blue flag with a red square in the upper left corner and a moon and star shape on top on a white background

Johor is a state of Malaysia that joined the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and gained independence in 1957. The Johor state flag is a symbol that encompasses the people, the monarchy, and the state government. The white moon and star represent the religion of Islam and the sultanate of Johor, the red of the flag represents the heroism of the Johor people, and the dark blue of the flag represents the universal nature of the state government.

Black and white photograph of a man's head and shoulders wearing a hat and suit on a white background with a maroon ribbon with white text and a gold donkey fob.

January 20, 1965 was the second inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States, the first being aboard Air Force One following President Kennedy's assassination. This marked Johnson's second term, as well as his first full term as President. The event held the record for highest attended inauguration until President Obama's 2009 inauguration. 

Blue text on a yellow background with a blue star on the right and left sides of the Kollander logo

Kollander World Travel is a travel agency in Cleveland, Ohio. Started in 1923 by August Kollander, Sr., the business first catered to European immigrants who were traveling by steamship to their home countries. Kollander found great success in creating special heritage tours and escorted tours, specializing in travel to Central Europe (Croatia and Slovenia in particular), throughout its existence. Over the years, the company has planned group tours to other destinations such as Australia, China and South Africa. Today, Kollander World Travel still offers pilgrimage and guided tours, as well as cruises and city stays. 

Illustration of two flags and blue text on a white background

This button was issued prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and symbolizes the alliance between the United States and Canada.  It was produced to commemorate the November 11, 1941, dedication of the International Peace Monument at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan.  The monument itself is a bench.  The back of the bench displays an eagle with 13 stars to represent the United States, and a crown and lion representing Canada.

Two black and white photographs of men's heads on white circles on a red background with an illustration of the Capitol building, blue text on a white bottom edge and red text on a white ribbon illustration across the top.

January 20, 1957 was the date of the 43^rd inaugural ceremony of the United States, during which Dwight D. Einsenhower was sworn in as President, with Richard Nixon as Vice President. “Ike” and “Dick” were the respective nicknames of both men. People who attended the inauguration were likely given these buttons with ribbons corresponding with their home state. 

Blue illustration of a firework on top of a blue, white and red background with white and red text

In 1947, the Des Plaines, IL, Fire Department put on a 4th of July fireworks show. The Des Plaines Post of the American Legion held a Summer Festival at Rand Park that year, running from July 1st-July 6th, which climaxed with a ticket holder winning a 1947 Ford Super DeLuxe Convertible Coupe. The fireworks show was part of these festivities. Other nightly awards from the festival included 21 Jewl Lord Elgin wrist watches, 7 tube Majestic phonographic radio combos, GE electric blankets, a “Mus-alarm” radio clock, Schwinn bicycle, and many more prizes.

Blue text on a white background

Elsie Janis was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1889, and she started entertaining people before she was three years old.  She began doing imitations of celebrities, then moved on to vaudeville.  During World War I, she performed for troops in England and France, then eventually began acting, producing, and writing for film.  She wrote the screenplay for Regular Girl, which was released in 1919.  She also a co-wrote the title song and had the starring role in the film.  Janis regularly performed for war-related charities and organizations like the American Legion.  After her death in 1956, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.

Blue text under a red white and blue flag on a white background

When Czechoslovakia dissolved into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Czech Republic kept the Czechoslovakia flag while Slovakia adopted their own. However, prior to the dissolution a resolution was passed by the Czechoslovakian government that neither state would adopt any emblem of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic argued that the resolution was created by a country that did not exist and continued to use the former Czechoslovakia flag. The flag itself holds little meaning but the colors are traditional Bohemian colors and the pattern was selected to produce an easily recognizable flag, especially in battle.

Illustration of a smiling face on a yellow background

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.