Purplish-blue background with white bubble text at the bottom and an illustration of an open book in white with a rainbow and yellow stars across the top edge.

Book It! is a children’s reading program that began in 1984. It was created by a former Pizza Hut president who was motivated by President Reagan’s push to get corporations involved in education and his own son’s struggles with reading. The program encourages children to read by rewarding their accomplishments with award certificates and pizza from Pizza Hut restaurants. It is run every year from October to March through elementary schools and the reading goals are established by teachers for their students individually. 

This Book It! button debuted in 1985.

A photo of a man in profile appears at the center of the button. Above him is one line of blue text. Below him is larger text in gold (with a small caption in Japanese below) that is framed on either side by a laurel wreath in dark blue. 

Over the Top is a 1987 film starring Sylvester Stallone, who also co-wrote the script. The film's plot centers around a long-haul trucker named Lincoln Hawk (Stallone) who attempts to put his life in order and also reconnect with his estranged son by competing in arm-wrestling competitions. 

This button is a color photograph of a woman sitting on the lap of a man who is dressed in a Santa Claus suit and is wearing gold neck chains. The woman is kissing the man on the forehead.

This button shows First Lady Nancy Reagan sitting on the lap of actor Mr. T at the White House on December 12, 1983. Mr. T had been invited to help unveil the White House's annual Christmas decorations. His TV show "The A-Team"  had premiered that year, and both he and Nancy Reagan were known at the time for their efforts to help kids "say no" to drugs.

Yellow text on blue background. Red trimmed yellow triangle with green dagger in the middle located in the center of button. Two green hands curled into fists with thumbs pointing outwards located within triangle on each side of the dagger.

The Mysteries of Myra was a 1916 cliffhanger movie serial, starring Howard Estabrook and Jean Sothern, that featured a mixture of action, intrigue, magic, spiritualism, monsters and zombies. It was allegedly founded upon "the efforts of modern science penetrating the mysteries of our future life."  The silent film series was widely popular and was shown across the U.S. Today, the entire serial is considered lost, with only incomplete footage from three episodes conserved in the Library of Congress.

White text on a black background

My So Called Life was a television show that aired on ABC from August 25, 1994 to January 26, 1995. The show, set in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, follows high schooler Angela Chase, played by Claire Danes, through the emotional trials and angst of being a teenager. The show was praised for its portrayal of adolescence and depiction of social issues of the 1990's, including homophobia, teenage alcoholism, homelessness, adultery, school violence, censorship, and drug use. While the show was critically acclaimed it was canceled after one season because of low ratings.

The quote, "We had a time!", refers to a line in the pilot episode. Angela and her new best friend Rayanne try to get into a club but are denied access. While waiting in the parking lot of the club there is a confrontation when Angela and Rayanne are hit on by some older guys. The girls end up being driven home by a police officer. The next day at school Rayanne, bragging about their escapade, claims "We had a time!"

Illustration of earth with yellow and white text on top

Disney's release of the live-action film My Favorite Martian (loosely based on the 1960s television show) was heavily advertised in commercials, posters, and buttons. The movie, which was released on February 12, 1999 was about a newscaster looking for the scoop of a lifetime when he discovers and befriends an alien. Though the film starred big names like Jeff Daniels, Christopher Lloyd, and Daryl Hannah, it was a box office dud and is now largely forgotten.

Illustration of Mr. Cogswell on a green and yellow background

The Jetsons is an animated futuristic television comedy produced by Hanna-Barbera and was first broadcast in prime-time on ABC in 1962. Mr. Cogswell, portrayed here, was a character voiced by Daws Butler on the show. He was a big rival of the bombastic boss of the protagonist George Jeston, Cosmo Spacely, who owns Spacely Space Sprockets. "Ready to beg?" was Mr. Cogswell's tagline. 

Photograph of Mork (Robin Williams) with red sunglasses holding a Trombone. The words "Mork from Ork" in blue letters on the right side of button. 

Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), a TV sitcom series starring Robin Williams, was a spin-off of the long-running sitcom Happy Days.  Williams' quirky character, Mork, is an extra-terrestrial deported from his home planet Ork because humor is not permitted there. Once on Earth, Mork’s assignment is to study human behavior and he does so with abandon and reflection.  WIlliams, known for his unique brand of humor, played Mork opposite Pam Dawber as Mindy, his human friend and roommate (whose father owned a music store). Mork & Mindy is credited with being the vehicle that made Williams a household name in the United States.  But despite initial acclaim, the series’ ratings steadily declined due to time-slot, plot & cast changes until its cancelation just four years later.

Color photograph of Mork (Robin Williams) holding a suit. The words "Mork from Ork" on the right side of button in white letters. 

Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), a TV sitcom series starring Robin Williams, was a spin-off of the long-running sitcom Happy Days.  Williams' quirky character, Mork, is an extra-terrestrial deported from his home planet Ork because humor is not permitted there. Once on Earth, Mork’s assignment is to study human behavior and he does so with abandon and reflection.  WIlliams, known for his unique brand of humor, played Mork opposite Pam Dawber as Mindy, his human friend and roommate (whose father owned a music store). Mork & Mindy is credited with being the vehicle that made Williams a household name in the United States.  But despite initial acclaim, the series’ ratings steadily declined due to time-slot, plot & cast changes until its cancelation just four years later. Mork is shown holding his Orkan spacesuit.

Color photograph of Mork (Robin Williams) with the words "Mork from Ork" on the left side of button in bold white letters. 

Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), a TV sitcom series starring Robin Williams, was a spin-off of the long-running sitcom Happy Days.  Williams' quirky character, Mork, is an extra-terrestrial deported from his home planet Ork because humor is not permitted there. Once on Earth, Mork’s assignment is to study human behavior and he does so with abandon and reflection.  WIlliams, known for his unique brand of humor, played Mork opposite Pam Dawber as Mindy, his human friend and roommate (whose father owned a music store). Mork & Mindy is credited with being the vehicle that made Williams a household name in the United States.  But despite initial acclaim, the series’ ratings steadily declined due to time-slot, plot & cast changes until its cancelation just four years later.