White text over a red/orange background. 

Charley Thone was born in Hartington, Nebraska on January 4, 1924. During World War II, he served in the Infantry, in the field artillery, and the Army Air Corps of the U.S. Army as both a non-commissioned officer and as an officer.

After graduating the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law in 1950, he set up a private law practice in Lincoln, Nebraska and then served as Nebraska's Deputy Secretary of State from 1951 to 1952. In 1970, Thone was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served Nebraska’s first congressional district from 1971-1979. 

In 1978, Charley Thone he was elected the 34th Governor of Nebraska, a post he held until 1982. 

Three circular black-and-white photographs of Frank over a white background. All of the text is white, but "FRANK SINATRA" is on a black ribbon, while the rest is curved along the blue rim. 

The award-winning singer and film actor Frank Sinatra's career spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1930s until his death in 1995. This button memorializes the singer at different ages throughout his career. The song “My Way” was released in 1969, and became one of Sinatra’s most famous songs towards the end of his career. As a crowd-pleasing anthem, it became a highly demanded performance. If Sinatra tried to end a show without singing “My Way” he would be dragged back on stage to perform it. However, Sinatra was never shy about how much he hated the song and found it personally torturous to sing repeatedly. According to this his daughter Tina Sinatra, her father thought the nature of the lyrics to be too self-serving and self-indulgent. 

Photograph of Wayne and Garth over a yellow background. The rim contains white text over a pink background. 

"Wayne's World" was a recurring Saturday Night Live sketch that followed Wayne Campbell (played by Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (played by Dana Carvey). Wayne and Garth are best friends, heavy metal fans, and general airheads who host their own public access television program. This quote is from the sketch's 1992 film spinoff. Wayne is discussing his love interest Cassandra with Garth, and they riff on how much of a babe she truly is.

Photograph of Kerry Wood in his Cubs hat and uniform, over a white background. To the right is black text. 

Kerry Wood is a former American baseball pitcher who played primarily for the Chicago Cubs. He played for 14 MLB seasons and became known for his incredible talent in his position. In 1998, he famously struck out 20 batters in a game against the Houston Astros. Unfortunately, Wood's career was later plagued by various debilitating injuries. As of his retirement in 2012, he held the record for the pitcher to reach 1,000 strikeouts in the fastest period.

Minimalistic black-and-white illustration of a man over a white background. At the top and bottom are red curled text. 

Abbie Hoffman was a political activist, prominent member of the 1960s anti-war and counterculture movements, founder of the Youth International Party (aka the Yippies), and a member of the Chicago Seven. Steal This Book—which was published in 1971 and sold more than 250,000 copies in the first six months of its release— was written as a guide to fighting against the government and corporate interests. The book was embraced by young people, college students, and members of the New Left political movement. Much of the advice Hoffman provides in Steal This Book was drawn from his own experiences with political and social activism. 

"Steal This Button" is a direct reference to Hoffman's book. 

Illustration of Goofy's head over a purple background with green dots. Above is yellow curled text. 

Goofy is one of the original characters from Disney's Mickey Mouse animated cartoons and remains popular today. During his first appearance in the 1932 cartoon Mickey's Revue, he was known as Dippy Dawg. He was re-envisioned later that year as a younger dog, appearing as Goofy for the first time in The Whoopee Party.

Telling someone to, “act their age” typically insinuates that they are behaving in a childish manner. True to Goofy’s character, the message on this button suggests that its okay to be a little goofy, regardless of how old you are.

Photograph of Alice smiling, with red and yellow text to the left. 

The Brady Bunch was an American sitcom which ran from 1969 to 1974. The series follows the blended Brady family as they learn to live under the same roof. The show remains both a pop cultural icon and a site of constant ridicule in its depiction of the American family.

Alice Nelson is the zany but lovable maid of the Brady household. With her quick wit and bizarre hobbies, she is the main comic relief of the show.

White text over a black background. 

The phrase “poverty of the mind” describes a mindset where people focus on what they do not have and let fear hold them back. This way of thinking can make someone doubt their abilities and shy away from new experiences. A button that says “fight poverty of the mind” encourages people to challenge these limiting thoughts and look for new possibilities. Wearing this message is a way to show support for personal growth and a more positive outlook.

Blue text on an orange background with white, red, and blue ribbons and white elephant fob.

The 98th New York State Fair of 1938 boasted not only nationally known entertainment acts such as Guy Lombardo, Tommy Dorsey, and Ted Healy’s Three Stooges, but also had, “numerous new features designed to attract urbanites and the younger element.” Included in these were a new dance contest, a fashion show, and a series of evening dances held in the Coliseum, where, “an excellent terrazzo floor has just been laid.”

Color illustration and text with blue ribbon and white elephant fob

Elephant rides were once a sight at State Fairs country-wide, allowing children an up close view of the giant animal. In 1929, the children of Iowa raised $1000 in nickels and dimes to sponsor an elephant of their own to join the Iowa State Fair, and thousands witnessed the arrival of “Baby Mine.” Today, the rides are being phased out as more awareness has been raised of the nature of the elephant and the cruelty of their captivity.