Illustration of a blue and white box of tissues on red background.

Kleenex Brand tissues have a long history, developed by parent company Kimberly-Clark for a surprising original use: as filters inside soldiers’ gas masks during World War I! The innovative, crepe-like paper proved to be so useful that after the war, Kimberly-Clark began incorporating it into their consumer products. In the early 1920s, it was used in menstrual pads branded as Kotex. In 1924, a thinner and softer version of the material came onto the market specifically as a makeup remover. It wasn't until 1929, in response to reports that Kleenex was being used in place of a handkerchief, that the brand morphed into its now familiar form. 

Kleenex packaging has changed repeatedly over the decades to reflect changing trends and new features of the product; the one seen on this button is representative of Kleenex in 1964. 

See the Busy Button Museum’s other Kleenex packaging buttons from 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1960, and 1968. 

Illustration of a bald child in a yellow and black shirt running with a kite trailing behind him in front of an orange background with black text. 

Good grief! Charlie Brown is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz's daily comic strip Peanuts which debuted in 1950 and later as a TV show in 1965. Known as a “lovable loser” he became a widely recognized cartoon character that is relatable to all ages. Charlie Brown lacks self-confidence and goes through pessimistic and optimistic days, representing the average person and what many people go through.

One recurring challenge that Charlie Brown faces on several occasions is his attempt to fly a kite. A certain tree so often swallows up his kite, he names it the Kite-Eating Tree in a comic strip published on March 14, 1965. There is a published collection of comics from 1959 and 1960 titled Go Fly a Kite, Charlie Brown! and the Charles M. Schulz Museum even has an exhibit dedicated to Charlie Brown's many Kite-Flying Foibles. Although Charlie Brown's attempts to fly a kite are not exemplars of success, he is often depicted with determination to try again.

White and Orange text on a black background

WAAF 107.3 FM was a radio station broadcasting to the greater Boston area. While WAAF formally began in 1961 as an easy-listening station, it transitioned to hard, melodic rock in 1970 and retained that identify for the rest of its existence. The station prominently played artists like Guns n' Roses, Metallica, Red Hot Chilli Pepper, and Motley Crue, as well as local bands. WAAF had a rivalry with fellow Boston station WBCN due to their similar sounds and a feud surrounding which station would be first to play an embargoed Aerosmith album Nine Lives. WAFF went off the air in 2020 following a sale by the company owning the station. Since that time the 107.3 frequency has become a Christian music station. 

Illustration of a blue-skinned character wearing a white hat, shirt and shoes and swinging a tennis racket. Black text on a yellow background.

Smurfs are woodland creatures created by Belgian writer and illustrator Pierre “Peyo” Culliford (1926-1992). First introduced in the comic series Johan and Peewit in 1958, the Smurfs quickly gained popularity, earning their own series in 1959 and a Belgian animated show that aired from 1961 to 1967. The Smurfs' big breakthrough came with their introduction to the American audience through the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Smurfs, which ran from 1981 to 1990 and firmly established the lovable blue characters in American pop culture. This particular button offers a playful pun. In tennis, "love" indicates a score of zero points, so "love two" means a score of 0-2 or 2-0, with the first number representing the serving player's score. The Smurf shown here is unnamed, as the total number of Smurf characters across entertainment platforms remains unknown. 

Green text on a white background

"You Belong in the Zoo" is a 1978 song with lyrics written and music composed by Mel Hall for the San Diego Zoo. The song was used in commercials and the slogan was used for promotional materials and advertisements. 

Illustration of a blue-skinned character with a white hat and yellow sweater wearing orange skis. Blue and white background with black text. 

The Smurfs, small blue elf-like characters, were created in 1958 by Belgian cartoonist Pierre “Peyo” Culliford (1926-1992). They debuted in the comic strip Johan and Peewit before gaining popularity in their own series. Each Smurf is named after their main trait or role—such as Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf, or Smurfette. Countless Smurf characters were created. They live in mushroom-shaped houses in a village, with adventures often involving escaping the evil wizard Gargamel and his cat Azrael. The Smurfs gained worldwide fame through comics, toys, and especially the 1980s Hanna-Barbera animated TV series.

The history of sports in the Smurf universe primarily begins with a special episode titled "The Smurfs' Greatest Sports," where Smurfette, a well-loved character, hosts the first Smurfic Games. These games draw inspiration from ancient Greek traditions, including events like the Smurf-a-thon and Smurfberry Toss. The lore of the original Smurfic Games also includes the Downhill Smurfer, which depicts a Smurf skiing downhill in traditional gear, such as vintage ski poles called alpenstocks or skistavs. Due to the large number of unique Smurf characters, individual identities are often unrecognizable. 

Illustration of two black silhouette's dancing in front of a pink triangle on top of an illustration of a yellow jukebox. White and Black Text on a white background. 

BelAir Cafe Chevy’s was a nightclub located in West Islip, Long Island, New York. The venue was active during the 1980s and early 1990s, featuring live music and dancing. A television commercial from the era described it as “the total entertainment complex,” offering dancing, parties, half-court basketball, indoor beach volleyball, a Velcro jump, and dining at Duffy’s Diner. The button’s design reflects the lively and retro atmosphere promoted in the ad.

Here is a video link of a 1992 commercial for BelAir Cafe Chevy’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS5jVdab_Vg.

Black text on a yellow background

The Reagan for Shah campaign was spearheaded by the Plutonium Players, a satirical theater troupe that grew out of Berkeley College in the 1980s. Part of a long legacy of political activism on college campuses, their other tongue-in-cheek campaigns included Students For War and Ladies Against Women. The slogan references then-president Ronald Reagan’s involvement in the Iran-Iraq War, in which the Reagan administration sold arms to Iran in an attempt to secure the release of American hostages in Lebanon. This controversy, commonly referred to as Iran-Contra, ultimately tanked the American public’s trust in the Reagan administration.

Cream-colored text on a red background

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Grayscale photograph of a man wearing coveralls and a hat on a black background with white text.

“Help Textile Workers Win Justice” was a rallying cry for the boycott of the J.P. Stevens Textile Corporation following the death of two of its textile workers. Grover Hardin and Louis Harrell, the latter of whom is pictured on this button, died of byssinosis, commonly known as brown lung, after repeated exposure to cotton dust at work. These deaths, along with other injustices, led to the organizing of J.P. Stevens textile workers into unions, who then began a long and protracted battle with the company throughout the 1960s and 70s. After merging with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers union in 1976, the newly christened Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union initiated a boycott of J.P. Stevens products which drew widespread attention and momentum. J.P. Stevens eventually capitulated and met the union’s demands in 1980 in exchange for the end of the strike. 

Louis Harrell’s photograph was also used in OSHA-published brochures on the dangers of cotton dust in 1980 during the last year of U.S. president Jimmy Carter’s term. In 1981, newly-elected president Ronald Regan appointed Thorne Auchter as OSHA director. Aucheter determined that the Carter-era brochures had a pro-labor bias and had them destroyed, along with several films critical of the textile industry. The anti-labor policies of the Reagan administration stalled the future efforts of the ACTWU and other unions.