A man in a blue suit holds a bucket filled with food. A party hat floats to the left of him and a bottle sits in his right pockets. Everything is set against a white background. 

A "freeloader" is someone who takes advantage of the charity, generosity, or hospitality of others. It was possibly originated as a trucker’s slang for "somebody who had goods carried along with somebody else's cargo at no charge." But by 1930s, its meaning had shifted to mean the sponger or schnorrer.

Its first documented use could be found in Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, N.Y.) on August 23rd, 1933: "He was inducted into office as the new president of Madison Square Garden..with the customary beefsteak gorging ceremonies and all the members of the freeloaders association in attendance." It was also alleged that "Freddie the Freeloader," a character from  50s-60s TV program The Red Skelton Show, popularized the word. 

A woman in a blue dress demonstrates several talents: Piano playing with her left  hand, juggling with her right hand, balancing with her nose and balancing with her right leg. Everything is set against a yellow background.  

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

A woman in a yellow dress with a halo above her head stands in meditative-like posture with three mens' heads floating around her. Everything is set against a blue background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

A man in a chef's uniform hold trays of food in both hands above his head. Everything sits on a blue background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

A man in a blue suit sleeps in the air with only his head resting on a blue bar stool. The man is in front of a yellow bar with bottles and glasses on top. Everything is set against a white background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Large black text and smaller green text on a white background.

The Avis car rental company was brought to life at the Detroit airport by Warren Avis in 1946. Being the first company to rent cars from an airport location, it grew quickly and is today one of the most well-known car rental companies with well over 5,000 locations around the globe. The “We Try Harder” advertising and marketing campaign that Avis was instituted in 1963 in order to become more competitive.

An illustration of a man's outline in red running right with a gust of wind behind him.  Red text above the man on a yellow background. 

Armour and Company was founded in Chicago in 1867 by Philip Danforth Armour. It's success made Chicago's meat packing industry the central meat packing location for the country and helped the city of Chicago grow in prominence. 

The "breezy button" collection from Armour Star meat packing company were given free in every package of Armour franks (hot dogs) during the 1950s. The collection had 24 buttons each feature a catchy "breezy slogan." 

Grey and red text with red lines above and below the text. Everything is set against a white background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

A scene with dark trees next to a body of water. The sun is just over the mountains in the background.

This button features a version of the Tom Thomson painting “The Jack Pine”. It was completed in 1917, the same year that Thomson died. Thomson was a famous and influential Canadian artist of the early 20th century. This painting is considered one of the most widely reproduced works of art from Canada and the Jack Pine as iconic of the Canadian landscape.

An illusration of a northwest coast salmon on a white background. 

The drawing is named "Skaagi," or more commonly known as "Haida Dog Salmon" by Canadian artist Bill Reid. Reid was born to an European father and a Haida mother. The Haida are indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, situated in British Columbia, Canada. They are one of the First Nations in Canada. Reid explored his Haida cultural heritage and was deeply inspired by symbols and messages presented in Haida art.

The salmon is the main food source for the people of the Pacific Northwest, and the Haida people considered themselves "salmon people." According to legend, salmons are humans with eternal life. In springtime, the people dress in salmon disguises to feed the villagers and after consumption the villagers throw the skeleton back in the ocean, so the spirits would rise again and change back into human form. Therefore, the salmon is to be respected because it is both human and spirit.

Reid was a champion of the Haida people. He celebrated and defended his people by using his fame to support their land claims. He introduced the world to the art and people of the Pacific Northwest.