Black text on a yellow background

A 1970s women’s movement button, probably in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. This slogan is also seen in vintage cross-stitch format.

Illustration of a "wild thing" in a yellow and darker yellow striped shirt with orange scaled legs and claw like hands and feet and horns on a light purple background with black text

The illustration on this button is from The Big Book of Peace (1990), which features 17 stories by well-known children’s authors. The book was written to encourage children to talk about and celebrate peace. This particular illustration was contributed by Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are (1963).

Olive green text on a tan background over an olive green background with tan text

This slogan is a play on Robert Fulghum's quote, "It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.” Robert Fulghum is a minister and author of both fiction and nonfiction books. His quote was used on bumper stickers in the 1970s and 1980s by WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom). Both Fulghum's quote and this button make the point that the U.S. government puts more money into the military than education, but education is more important.

Blue text on a yellow background with an illustration of a red cross

In the New Testament, Matthew 24:3 states, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” This quote from the bible can be interpreted as the coming of the end of the world, as it is stated “the end of the age.”

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 strip that contains this scene 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 carrying his blanket.

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.