Blue text on a bright yellow background

“Talks not Troops” is an anti-war phrase promoting peaceful discussion over war. 

Light purple text and an illustration on a dark purple background

Take Back the Night is an international organization whose mission is to end all forms of sexual and domestic violence. The non-profit organization sponsors hundreds of events across 30 different countries every year. Most often, Take Back the Night events include a rally or a march followed by a vigil for the victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Illustration of a pinkish red hand with white text over it on a grey background

For most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, "rape" was understood to be a crime carried out by men unable to control their sexual desires. The anti-rape movement in the United States did not begin until the mid 1950s and 1960s when the rise of second-wave feminism redefined the act as a violent reaffirmation of the power dynamics present between men and women with rape committed primarily by men against women. The movement gained popularity throughout the 1970s, and by 1980s, the majority of US states had changed their laws to protect victims against invasive examination during trial, eliminate spousal exceptions, and eliminate requirements from the definition of the act, such as degree of physical trauma and physical resistance on the part of the victim. Since the 1980s, the anti-rape movement has continued to address the socio-cultural dynamics that perpetuate rape culture, most notably with the Me Too movement in 2017 that brought to light allegations of sexual harassment or assault by prominent men in the film and music industries, as well as in academia, sports, medicine, and politics.

Illustration of an ocean wave in purple in blue with purple text

Prior to the 1970s, it was legal to dump refuse such as industrial waste, sewage, and radioactive waste into the ocean. However, during the 1960s, there was a growing awareness about the negative impact of ocean dumping on the marine environment. In 1975, the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (known as the London Convention) came into force. The London Convention was the first international regulation to control ocean dumping in order to protect the marine environment from pollution.

Illustration of the Peanuts character Linus holding a blanket with a text bubble above him with black text on a yellow background

The comic strip Peanuts, created by Charles M. Schulz (1922 – 2000), was published in newspapers from 1950 to 2000. The comic often addressed cultural, political or social themes. The scene shown on this button appeared in a strip that was first published on May 2, 1964. In the strip, Linus claims he is “very patriotic” and goes on to list what he believes in. The character of Linus, considered to be the philosopher among his group of friends, first appeared in the comic strip on September 19, 1952. He was often shown with his blanket, as seen on this button.

Illustration of a lighthouse with red text above and below on a white background

The current Cape May Lighthouse tower is the third lighthouse built at the southern tip of New Jersey. It has been both a navigation aid for mariners and an attraction for visitors since 1859. In 1936, part of the lighthouse dwelling was damaged in a fire caused by arson and remained that way for quite some time. In 1986, ownership of the tower was leased to Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). They ran a successful fundraiser to save the lighthouse. Those funds helped restore the tower to a condition that would allow it to again be accessed by the public in 1988. The lighthouse was painted to its historic coloring of a light beige tower with a red lantern in 1994. 

Illustration of a black and white badger wearing a white t-shirt with black and red text on it, sitting on green grass and tipping a red oil can upside down

In 1973, an embargo on oil by the OAPEC caused prices to skyrocket to nearly 400% of their previous value. This caused massive shortages across the country, leading to a widespread push to conserve energy that lasted for several years after the official end of the crisis. Americans were asked not to use Christmas lights and there was a federal speed limit of 55 MPH on any road across the country. An aggressive advertising campaign run by the Advertising Council entitled, "Don't Be Fuelish," urged Americans to conserve their oil use. The crisis boosted interest in renewable energy, most notably solar power which had not been widely discussed before the shortages, and more generally pushed the U.S. to lessen their dependency on oil.

Purple illustration of a crowd of people with one holding a sign with a hanger and a crossed out symbol over it with purple text on the outer edge on a white background

This button represents the protection of legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as: “…recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsible the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence.” The main statement being made by the illustration on this button is a woman’s right to legal and safe abortion, as symbolized by the image of the hanger with a line through it. Many women who did not have access to safe abortions resorted to using clothes hangers. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a right to privacy extended to a woman’s legal right to have an abortion.

White arrows creating a triangle on a black background

The symbol on this button is the internationally recognized symbol for recycling. In the late 1960s and early 1970s worldwide attention to environmental issues culminated in the first Earth Day. Container Corporation of American sponsored a contest for art and design students to raise awareness for environmental issues and the winning entry is now a universal symbol used to designate recyclable materials. The symbol is not trademarked and is in the public domain.

Illustration of eyes over the edge of a blue book with a red and black ladybug on the faces nose and green text at the top

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