A blue background with white text along the top and red text across the middle of the button with a pink triangle at the bottom

This button comes from Richard M. Daley's election campaign to be mayor of Chicago. Daley, the son of previous Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, first won the position of mayor in 1989 and went on to hold the position until 2011. Daley's tenure as mayor was characterized by increased benefits to LGBT workers, encouraged tourism, and instituted more eco-friendly measures around the city of Chicago. Because of his history as a supporter of LGBT rights, and even being the first Mayor of Chicago to lead the annual Pride Parade, the LGBT community supported him in subsequent elections. When Daley stepped down from the position in 2011, he had served as Mayor of Chicago for 22 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in Chicago's history.

Richard M. Daley. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Daley.

White button with a blue stripe across the center with red text that fades to lighter red as it goes across the button.

This is a campaign button for Richard M. Daley. Daley, the son of previous Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, was running to be Mayor of Chicago as well, and was first elected to the position in 1989 and held the position until 2011. Daley's tenure as mayor was characterized by increased benefits to LGBT workers, encouraged tourism, and instituted more eco-friendly measures around the city of Chicago. When Daley stepped down from the position in 2011, he had served as Mayor of Chicago for 22 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in Chicago's history.

Richard M. Daley. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_M._Daley.

Black and white photograph of a man's head with red text underneath on a white background.

This button was used to advertise a 1971 book about Richard J. Daley, who at the time was mayor of Chicago. The book, authored by Mike Royko, was called Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago, an unauthorized autobiography that detailed the mayor's early life and criticized some of his practices while in office. The book's title was inspired by Daley's nickname, “Boss Daley”, which grew in popularity as he remained as mayor for a longer and longer period, eventually holding the position for 21 years. Boss was a hit with readers and is Royko's most famous book, which stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for 26 consecutive weeks.

Mike Royko. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Royko.

Richard J. Daley. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_J._Daley.

Top half of the button is green with white text, the bottom half is red with white text and there is a white stripe through the center with red text on it.

This button comes from Richard J. Daley's campaign to become mayor of Chicago in 1975. Daley, a Democrat, was first elected to the position in 1955, and was elected five more times, 1975 being his last time running for office. While he was mayor, Daley worked hard towards keeping Chicago from declining and oversaw the construction of iconic landmarks like Sears Tower, and O'Hare International Airport. Unfortunately, less than a year after being elected mayor for the sixth time, Daley died while in office.

Richard J. Daley. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_J._Daley.

Black text and a symbol on a white background on a silver background

The Chicago (Illinois) Police Department is the one of the largest non-federal law enforcement agencies in the United States, second only to the New York City Police Department. In 1835, the state of Illinois authorized the then-town of Chicago to develop its own police force. Three officers served the approximately 3,200 residents. As of 2015, the Chicago Police Department has over 12,000 sworn officers.

This button features the corporate seal of Chicago, which includes a shield to represent the spirit of the city; a native American to symbolize the original inhabitants of the land; a shaft of wheat meant to imply abundance; a ship to represent Chicago’s location on Lake Michigan; and a sleeping infant in a shell to symbolize Chicago as the “gem” of the Great Lakes. The corporate seal is an integral part of the Chicago Police uniform, and is featured on uniform patches and insignia for officers of all ranks.

Black text and a blue and red illustration on a white background

The Skokie Spirt 5K/10K run/walk was an athletic event that took place annually from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s in Skokie, Illinois. The Skokie Spirit 5K/10K was organized by Rush North Shore Medical Center, a hospital located in the community. Skokie is a suburb of Chicago, located just north of the city limits in Cook County. The village was incorporated in 1888 with the name Niles Center, however following a renaming campaign and referendum, it was officially renamed Skokie in 1940. Though technically a village, the 2010 census indicated that Skokie’s population has grown to over 60,000 people.

Illustration of a man wearing a leather jacket and pants and black motorcycle boots with black text along the top edge with a white background

This is most likely for the Gold Coast bar in Chicago, the first gay leather bar to be opened in the United States. The bar owas pened in 1958 by photographer Chuck Renslow, who had also founded numerous motorcycling magazines and clubs. Located on North Clark Street, the bar was considered tough and intimidating. Throughout the 1970s Renslow ran Mr. Gold Coast competitions, which became so popular that in 1979 it was moved to a bigger venue and is known today as the International Mr. Leather, a contest and conference for ‘leathermen’ around the world. The Gold Coast closed in 1988 after nearly thirty years, and in 1991 Renslow was inducted into the Chicago Lesbian and Gay Hall of Fame.

Baim, Tracy. (2007, June 6). Chuck Renslow. Retrieved from: http://chicagogayhistory.com/biography.html?id=772.

International Mr. Leather. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Mr._Leather.

White text on a pink background

“I’ve got pride” refers to the celebration of the LGBTQ community during Pride Month. It is traditionally celebrated in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which is the turning point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the U.S. Although it was initially celebrated on the last Sunday of June, it expanded to a month-long series of events, including pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, and concerts. The first Pride march was held on June 28, 1970, in New York City, exactly one year after the event of the Stonewall Uprising. The Stonewall raid, a popular gay bar on Christopher Street, led to activists celebrating the uprising the following March to demonstrate against abuse on anti-Homosexual laws. Events like these honor the local, national, and international impact of the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.

White text on a red background

It has been said that nurses play an integral role in the healthcare system; therefore, they have been referred to as “The Heart of Healthcare” by Donna Wilk Cardillo, RN, CSP. Cardillo is also known as "The Inspirational Nurse" and travels the world helping to inspire women and healthcare professionals to be happy with their lives and reach their full potential. 

The I heart NY logo was created in 1977 by Milton Glaser for an ad campaign created by advertising agency Wells Rich Greene. The marketing campaign was sought by then-Deputy Commissioner William S. Doyle to increase tourism in the state of New York. The campaign was a wild success. The original sketch of the logo is permanently on display at the MOMA.

Yellow text with a red outline and a red heart in place of a letter A over a purple line with red text underneath and with purple text and confetti above on a white background

Alexian Brothers Medical Center is a hospital in Elk Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The hospital is well-known in for its Heart and Vascular Institute, which offers community-based heart health screenings and non-invasive rapid heart disease detection, in addition to heart and vascular disease treatments and comprehensive cardiac surgery and rehabilitation. A Fair of the Heart was most likely an event put on by the Alexian Brothers Medical Center to promote heart disease prevention and heart-healthy practices.