Illustration of Smokey Bear's head wearing a brown hat with red text on it on a green inner circle with a white outer edge with black text on it

Created in 1944, Smokey Bear is the longest running public service advertising campaign in United States history. Each year, the Department of Agriculture, Forest Services creates a series of promotional material featuring Smokey Bear to help educate the public about forest fire prevention. This button was part of the 1995 – 1996 campaign.

Illustration of many heads with a speech bubble with a word inside it on a white background

In the 1970s a number of groups were created hoping to address a specific, growing concern: overpopulation of the planet and how the rapidly expanding human population would impact Earth's natural resources, wildlife, and ability to sustain human life. Organizations like Planned Parenthood and Zero Population Growth were part of those trying to raise awareness of the estimated impacts of overpopulation, advocating for birth control as a means of safeguarding the planet’s resources. The movement picked up popularity on college campuses, and created promotional material like buttons to start discussions about overpopulation. Many of these organizations shifted their focus in later years: Zero Population Growth changed its name to Population Connection in 2002 and now focuses on sustainability and improving living conditions for humanity. 

Blue text on a white background

The statement on this button reflects the belief that everyone should have access to free or affordable healthcare, most likely provided by the government. Millions of people across the U.S. either do not have any health insurance or are under-insured with high deductibles and co-payments. This button supports the idea that one’s access to proper medical treatment should not depend on the size of one’s bank account. 

Illustration of two hands shaking on a white background

The image of a black or grey hand shaking a white hand was a common symbol in the Civil Rights Movement. The hand shake is a symbol of peace and solidarity. The interracial handshake signifies interracial cooperation and equality. SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) produced a similar button with their name on the bottom in the 1960s when they were an interracial group of college students working for Civil Rights for African Americans. This image was also used on buttons advertising  the March on Washington in 1963, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Blue illustration of the statue of liberty next to red text on a white background

Roe v. Wade was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court issued its decision on January 22, 1973, with a 7-to-2 majority vote in favor of Roe. It was ruled that a right to privacy, under the 14^th Amendment, extended to a woman’s decision to have an abortion. Roe v. Wade prompted a national debate that still continues today. People were split into two groups, one being the group that believes in the “freedom to choose.” By having an image of the Statue of Liberty on the button it enforces the people’s right to their freedom. 

Black and white photograph of a woman on a white background with red text above and white text below

Mary Harris “Mother” Jones (1837 – 1930) was an Irish-American schoolteacher and dressmaker who became a prominent labor and community organizer. She helped coordinate major strikes and cofounded the Industrial Workers of the World. In 1902 she was called "the most dangerous woman in America" for her success in organizing mine workers and their families against the mine owners. In 1903, to protest the lax enforcement of the child labor laws in the Pennsylvania mines and silk mills, she organized a children's march from Philadelphia to the home of President Theodore Roosevelt in New York. The slogan on this button refers to Jones uttering the words still invoked by union supporters more than a century later: "Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.”

Illustration of a white dove over white text and an illustration of a toy rifle broken in two

Don't Buy War Toys refers to the "Stop War Toys Campaign." This campaign's goal is to spread the education of peace and non-violence. Supporters of the campaign want to protect children from exposure to the "tools of violence and war". The image of the dove represents peace and the broken toy rifle is part of the logo that is used by the War Resisters League. The War Resisters League is a group that has been resisting war at home and war abroad since 1923. They promote this campaign and believe that “war is not a game” and people shouldn’t buy war toys.

Illustration of a brown hog wearing a blue shirt, yellow hat and sunglasses and holding a green water hose that is spraying water up and over the hog with a pink background in the center of a blue background with white text

The Water Hog mascot was trademarked by the San Diego County Water Authority to highlight the extreme water waste in San Diego. There are simple ways  to conserve water, like turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth and cutting a fifteen minute shower down to five minutes.

Red and blue text on a white stripe across the middle of the button with blue above with three white stars on it and red and white stripes below

The concept of women using their domestic skills to “clean up” or fix political systems and issues goes back to the 19^th century. This imagery is still in use in our current times as this particular slogan was featured on buttons sold at the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) at the 2000 US Democratic Party Convention. The NWPC was founded in 1971 in increase the number of women in all aspects of political life. As part of their mission, they offer campaign training for candidates and campaign managers.

Illustration of the United States Capitol with a broom in front of it with red text above and bleow and three thin outer red rings on a white background

This button comes from the 1970s or 1980s. "Clean up Congress" refers to a campaign to replace incumbents with new Congressmen and Senators who promise to listen to their constituents needs better than their predecessors have. It also often involves a call for term limits so that the same people cannot stay in Congress forever. The argument is that membership in Congress corrupts and Congressmen think more about their reelection than policy. Advocates also argue that campaign finance laws make it too easy for incumbents to get reelected year after year and too hard for anyone to successfully challenge them. In the 1980s advocates for cleaning up Congress were often aligned with the Republican Party.