Illustration of crossed American and Cuban flags with red text on a white background.

The international relationship and sovereignty of the United States and Cuba has a complicated history in continual development. In the 1890s, Cuba was a colony of Spain and were conflicting with the U.S. over tariffs. By the end of the decade, Cubans despised everything Spanish and began an era of anarchy and racial warfare. During their separation from the Spanish part of the colony, Cuba sought annexation to the United States to keep their wealth, which destroyed the rebel military, but left the country politically unstable again. Cuba and the U.S. reestablished a relationship in 2014 and succeeded in establishing a peace after 54 years. Among the top considerations are democracy promotion programs, modernizing popular sovereignty, and self-determination.

Photograph of Douglas MacArthur on a red, white and blue background encircled by white text.

General Douglas MacArthur is remembered for his successful command of the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II, as well as leading other military operations, including the United Nations forces during the first part of the Korean War.  MacArthur was promoted to General of the Army in 1944, and in 1945 he was called on to command all of the U.S. Forces in the Pacific area.  

After being removed from commanding the army for insubordination by President Harry Truman during the Korean War, MacArthur was encouraged by conservatives to run for office. During the Presidential Election of 1948, MacArthur became part of the Republican Party's nominees. He even said he would accept the GOP nomination if he won. However, Thomas E. Dewey ended up becoming the nominee against Incumbant President Harry Truman, who ended up winning a second term.

Green and red text on white background with black outer border. 

The 1976 U.S. Presidential election was unique in that one candidate, incumbent President Gerald Ford, was the first person to be appointed to both the vice-presidency and later, presidency. Gerald Ford served as Vice-President following Spiro Agnew's resignation, from December 1973 to August 1974, and became President when Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. The Democratic Party nominated Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer who served as Georgia State Senator, and Governor of Georgia, as their candidate to run against Ford. Following the Watergate scandal, Ford faced opposition even from within his own party, challenged for the Republican Party's nomination by former California Governor Ronald Reagan. 

Carter ran as an outsider in the general election, painting himself as untainted by recent political scandals. The electoral vote was the closest since 1916, but Carter ultimately prevailed, becoming the 39th President of the United States. 

Sepia toned photograph of Nixon with a banner across the bottom with white text

Richard M. Nixon’s earliest use of campaign buttons and pins came in his unsuccessful run for President in 1960. Campaign buttons can also be found from his unsuccessful bid for Governor of California in 1962. In his political career, he won four national elections, twice for the vice presidency and twice for the presidency. He won his first political office in 1946 when he was elected as a U.S. Congressman for California. Nixon then became a Senator in 1950. Nixon served as Vice President during the Eisenhower administration from 1953- 1961. He was elected as the 37^th President of the United States in 1968 and served in office from 1969 until his resignation in August 1974.

Illustration of the top of a building next to a black and white photograph of a man's head and shoulders with gold and blue text above and below

Notre Dame University, a private co-educational Catholic research college was founded in 1842 in South Bend, Indiana and is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in America.  Founded by the Congregation of the Holy Cross as an all-male school, the university became co-educational in 1971.  The Kennedy family, whose members have held numerous political positions, have a history of Roman Catholic roots, and have been benefactors for numerous students to attend Notre Dame. 

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy (1932-2009), Massachusetts Senator and part of the famous Kennedy clan, ran against incumbent Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Presidential Primary for the Democratic ticket.  To date, this was the last primary in which an incumbent lost electoral states to another candidate in a presidential primary.  The victories were not enough to secure the nomination, and Carter went on to represent the Democratic Party.  Kennedy returned to his post as Senator, where he served out a 47 year term as the Senator from Massachusetts.

Red text on a white background

In the 1940 presidential election, Republican candidate, Wendell Willkie, faced off against President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was campaigning for a third term in office. While it was not yet written in the Constitution, a U.S. President customarily served only two terms in office, making President Roosevelt's reelection campaign controversial. Using the President's break from tradition as a platform for his own campaign, Willkie and his staff used the slogan, "No Third Term" as an attack on Roosevelt. Despite its irregular nature, Roosevelt went on to win the election, becoming the only President in American history to ever be elected for a third term. First passed by Congress in 1947 and later ratified by the States in 1951, the Twenty-Second Amendment specifically limits a president to only two terms in office.​

Large black 'X' in center of button, with 'NI's and 'ON's in red to form the name 'Nixon' twice on a white background.

Richard Nixon (R-CA) ran for re-election against U.S. Senator George McGovern (D-SD) in the 1972 Presidential election. Nixon won in a landslide victory, taking 49 states and 60% of the popular vote. He was also the first Republican to sweep the southern states. The 1972 election was the first time 18 year olds were allowed to vote because of the ratification of the 26th Amendment in 1971. By 1974, both President Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew would resign, Nixon due to the Watergate scandal and Agnew due to corruption charges during his time as governor of Maryland.

Illustration of American flag with blue text on a white background.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black and white photographs of two women's head and shoulders on a blue background with a white and red outer edge with white text

Rosalynn Carter, wife of President Jimmy Carter, took to the campaign trail in the 1980 presidential re-election campaign, making speeches and appearances for her husband who was preoccupied with foreign and domestic affairs.  Mrs. Carter embraced Ted Kennedy’s challenges during the primaries and endured allergic reactions, a hotel fire and mouth sores from constant public appearances and speeches.  Despite maintaining a grueling schedule in her husband’s place, as well as keeping up with her schedule as First Lady, Mrs. Carter was not asked to speak at the Democratic National Convention that year.  She was the last First Lady to not address a national Presidential convention.

Joan Mondale, wife of Vice-President Walter Mondale, is best known for her zeal during the Carter/Mondale administration to focus attention on arts and culture and was dubbed “Joan of Art” for her constant promotion of fine arts throughout her husband’s political career.  Mrs. Mondale was an avid potter, and while living at the American embassy in Tokyo, she often gave away the cups and bowls she made.  Like her cohort Rosalynn, she spent a great deal of time traveling and campaigning for her husband.

Rosalynn and Joan were both strong advocates of the Equal Rights Amendment and the push for equal pay for women, and heralded in a new era for presidential spouses who were not content with the traditional roles delegated to the First Lady, but charted their own path through their husbands' administrations.

An illustration of Jimmy Carter is center in black and white surrounded by a green rim and white text. 

Jimmy Carter began his political career by serving on the Georgia State Senate from 1963-1967. After losing the bid for governor in 1966, he took a few years off to tend to his farming business. In 1970, he again ran for governor, this time successfully winning the Democratic nomination and the overall election. He served as governor until 1975. In 1976, he shocked the Democratic party leadership by winning the Iowa caucus in pursuit of the Democratic nomination for president. After that win, Carter's campaign released a series of green and white buttons, including this one. The green color was a departure from traditional red, white, and blue political buttons. It signified Carter's background as a peanut farmer. Carter eventually secured the nomination and won the 1976 election. 

In his 1980 reelection campaign, Carter reintroduced variations on his 1976 green buttons. However, he lost the election to Ronald Reagan.