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.

Illustration of a smiling face on a bright orange background

This is an orange variation of the classic yellow smiley face which is comprised of a 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.

Gold text on blue background around outer border, blue and gold fleur-de-lis Saints logo and NFL logo in center. 

The New Orleans Saints are a National Football League (NFL) team who play in the National Football Conference (NFC) South Division. New Orleans was awarded an NFL franchise in 1966, and the team was announced on All Saints' Day (November 1). The team was named for the great jazz song, "When the Saints Go Marching In," recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1938, and long-associated with New Orleans. One of the original team owners, John Mecom, Jr., wanted the team color to be Mecom blue, a shade used by his other investments. The NFL felt that the color was too similar to that worn by the San Diego Chargers, so the Saints settled on black, gold and white. The logo, a fleur-de-lis, is a symbol of the city of New Orleans and France's royal family. After the Gulf Coast area and the team's stadium, the Superdome, suffered damages from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Saints made it to their first Super Bowl in 2009, and defeated the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 31-17. 

Black text on a white background with a red and white checkerboard outer edge

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt formed the National Progressive Party, also known as the Bull Moose Party because the President had supposedly told reporters after the assassination attempt on his life that “I’m as fit as a bull moose.”  Cartoonist Bud Fisher created a cartoon of Mutt (of Mutt & Jeff) telling the President to tie his bull outside. This term has come to mean disbelief or rejection of an idea.  In the story Three Soldiers, written by John Dos Passos in 1921, one of the patients in a hospital ward shouts “Fellows, the war’s over.” The other patients respond with “Tie that bull outside.”

Blue text and a blue and white photograph on a white background

Husk O’ Hare was a Chicago band leader in the 1920s.  In addition to leading his own bands, O’Hare also booked other bands all over Illinois and neighboring states.  He promoted his business and his bands vigorously and rented a flashing sign on top of the building where his offices were located.  O’Hare’s own bands were house bands at hotels and radio stations, which could explain the “every week” reference on the button.  These bookings would have followed a regular schedule, which allowed O’Hare to run his booking business when he was not performing.