Bush 2000

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Text on Button BUSH 2000
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A color photograph of George W. and Laura Bush is in the center of the button, which is framed by red, white and blue with white stars and a metalic pink rim.  Yellow text outlined in blue and white outlined in red text are in the center. 

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Republican Governor George W. Bush, son of 41st President George H.W. Bush, ran for President of the United States in the 2000 election. He ran against Democrat, and former Vice President to Bill Clinton, Al Gore. The race was very close, but Bush won 271 electoral college votes, compared to Al Gore's 266, making him the 43rd President.

Laura, George's wife, is the 43rd First Lady. Her focus while in the White House was on education (especially literacy) and health.

Catalog ID PO0541

Asian Americans for Bush Quayle

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Text on Button ASIAN AMERICANS FOR BUSH QUAYLE '92
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Red and blue text on a white background with an illustration of part of a flag

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This button was used to bolster Asian American support for the 1992 presidential campaign of Bush/Quayle. Time Magazine reported that nearly 60% of Asian Americans voted for Bush/Quayle in the 1992 election. Asian Americans traditionally voted conservatively. The campaign of 1992 was the first time that an Asian American was hired as a full-time, salaried staff member at a presidential headquarters. Dr. Lee was the national coordinator for the Asian and Pacific American Coalition (APAC) for Bush/Quayle 1992. Dr. Lee reached out to numerous Asian groups to organize them at both the state and national levels. Asian Americans were kept abreast of the campaign through articles published in Asian newspapers throughout the country.

Catalog ID PO0624

Prince Purple Rain

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Text on Button Purple Rain
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Stylized purple text on top of an image of a man wearing purple clothes riding a motorcycle in an alleyway of a city.

Curl Text copyright 1984 PURPLE FILMS COMPANY AND WARNER BROS. INC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Purple Rain is a 1984 film starring Prince in his first acting role. The film grossed major profits, and the studio album of the same name sold over 22 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most successful soundtrack albums. The album, featuring Prince’s backing band, The Revolution, is still considered a critically acclaimed album. Two singles, “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy”, both topped the US singles charts, while the title track went high as well. The film also has the unique honor of being the last winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Musical. The category still technically exists, but is unable to be awarded.

Catalog ID MU0257

INXS Kick

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Text on Button INXS Kick
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White text on a black rectangle separated from white text on a red rectangle by a row of gold stars on a white background

Curl Text ©1988 INXS BUTTON-UP 2011 TROY, MI 48083 5478
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Australian rock band INXS formed in 1977. They started out playing covers in pubs, then released their self-titled debut album in 1980 and began achieving international recognition. In 1987, they released their sixth studio album, Kick. The album was certified platinum six times. After the death of lead singer Michael Hutchence in 1997, the band took a year off from public performances. They then toured and recorded with guest artists. In 2002, a remastered 25th anniversary edition of Kick was released. It included a DVD, three CDs, stickers, a hardback book, and other bonus materials. On November 11, 2012, INXS announced their performance at Perth Arena would be their last.

Catalog ID MU0258

Peter Frampton I Can't Stand it No More

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Text on Button "I CAN'T STAND IT NO MORE"
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Black text on yellow stripes across a blue background

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British rock singer Peter Frampton released his sixth album, Where Should I Be, in 1979. The certified gold album featured the hit single, "I Can't Stand It No More," which reached #14 on the singles charts. Frampton produced Where Should I Be following a difficult period in his life that included a near fatal car crash in the Bahamas and the end of a long-term relationship. 

Catalog ID MU0184

Frankie Goes To Hollywood

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Text on Button FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD
Image Description

Black text and black "Frankie Man" logo on white background. 

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Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH) was a British dance-pop-rock band that was popular in the 1980s. Members included Brian Nash (guitar), Peter Gill (drums), Mark O'Toole (bass guitar), Paul Rutherford (vocals), and was fronted by Holly Johnson (vocals). The "Frankie Man" logo seen on this button was designed by graphic designer David Smart, who was inspired by a logo designed in the 1920s by Erwin Reusch for Delbag Filters, a German company. 

Frankie Goes to Hollywood was the second group in history to reach number one on the UK charts with each of their first three singles ("Relax", "Two Tribes" and "The Power of Love"). FGTH's debut single "Relax" was banned by the BBC in 1984, and won the 1985 award for Best British Single. The band was also nominated for Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards in the category of Best New Artist in 1985. 

Johnson left the band after a tour in 1987, and attempts by Johnson and Rutherford to establish solo careers, as well as the other three members' attempt to keep FGTH alive, were ultimately unsuccessful. Re-issues of "Relax" and "The Power of Love" reached the UK Top Ten in 1993, and remixes of "Two Tribes" and "The Power of Love" were UK Top Twenty hits again in 2000. 

Sources

Douglas, S. (September 14, 2016). The logo, art & design of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Retrieved from http://www.stevedouglas.com/art-design-frankie-goes-to-hollywood/

Catalog ID MU0267

Duran Duran

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Text on Button DURAN DURAN
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A photograph of five band members standing from left to right.

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Duran Duran formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. After a brief period of uncertainty for popularity in the United States, the band eventually took off stateside, thanks in part to MTV. A re-release of the album, “Rio” in 1983, along with singles including “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Is There Something I Should Know?” rising up the charts helped to confirm the band’s popularity. The band still performs as of 2016 with many of the original members.

The photograph on this button appears to be from a 1983 magazine called "Trouser Press". The band was featured on the cover of their October 1983 issue, which also included a 5-page article singing praises of the recently re-released “Rio.”

Catalog ID MU0260

Devo on Saturday Night Live

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A photograph of a man wearing sunglasses playing the guitar on a black background all in a yellow hue.

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Devo is an American rock band which formed in 1973. They are often easily recognizable by their unique costumes, which sometimes includes yellow jump suits and red cone shaped hats. Their first major single to chart high was “Whip It” in 1980, which has since become known for its strange content. Many of their songs include surrealistic and satirical themes.

On October 14, 1978, Devo was featured as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. The previous week had featured The Rolling Stones, and Devo followed their performance by covering “(I Cant’ Get No) Satisfaction,” a popular song by the Stones.

Catalog ID MU0264

Wausau Winter Frolic

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Text on Button WAUSAU WINTER FROLIC FEB. 6-10 1929
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Black text on a light green background with an illustration of a person wearing red and skiing

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Wausau is the seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin. The Wausau Ski Club was formed in the 1920s to promote winter sports and activities, especially skiing. The club was in charge of the ski tournaments of the 1927, 1928 and 1929 Wausau Winter Frolics. A 40-foot high ski slide was built at Rothschild Park in 1926, which helped ski jumping to gain popularity. A smaller ski slide was built on the west side of the Wisconsin River during the winter of 1929-1930, which was used by the children in the area. Beyond skiing, Winter Frolic events included hockey tournaments, skating, and curling. 

The Marathon County Historical Society has an award plaque and a skating trophy from the 1929 Wausau Winter Frolic in the collection. 

Catalog ID EV0282

May Day '81

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Text on Button Jobs Peace Equality May Day '81
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Red button with black text. A black illustration of worker is in the left corner and a white flag with red text is on the right side of the button. 

Curl Text COMM. FOR UNITED LABOR AND PEOPLES MAYDAY (union bug)
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International Workers' Day, known as Labor Day or May Day, celebrated on May 1, is a celebration of organized labor and the working class. However, this holiday and date is sometimes used for protests and demonstrations around the world centered on the rights of the working class. While the day was initially conceived as a day for organized labor and working class individuals to protest around the world, in the first decades of the twentieth century, the labor movement continued to sponsor parades and other events but on a less regular basis than in the past, with some cities going years at a time between marches, only holding them at moments of crisis. 

On May 1, 1981, millions around the world observed May Day from Moscow’s annual procession through Red Square to a tea ceremony for model laborers hosted by Taiwan President Chiang Ching-kuo. Other demonstrations that year included a march of 50,000 in Warsaw, events at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and demonstrations in Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, and Iran. In Los Angeles, a march sponsored by the Revolutionary Communist Party went through downtown over to MacArthur Park and back again with no arrests or violence.

Sources

Drake Reitan, M. (2017, April 30). MacArthur Park reds. KCET. https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/macarthur-park-reds

Foner, P. S. (1986). May Day: A short history of the International Workers' holiday, 1886–1986. International Publishers.

Musgrove, D. (1981, May 2). May Day parade march, 1981 [Photograph]. Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA, United States. https://calisphere.org/item/33b87b008b9dde78ea2d69e1488168bd/

Catalog ID EV0238