Black text on a green background with two star shapes on either side of the letters USA on a black band across the button.

 After six years of struggle, representatives from the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee established the United Steel Workers May 22, 1942. One of the most famous incidents that led to the formation of the USW was the Memorial Day incident in Chicago in 1937. Chicago police officers opened fire on workers outside of the Republic Steel mill, killing 10 men. The union continued to grow, eventually gaining 46,000 members in 1944 with a merger with the Aluminum Workers of America. The first president of the USW was Phillip Murray.

Bullseye with alternating purple and white with contrastin text color, the innermost circle contains images of a bundle of wheat, a bag of grain, and a box of flour.

The American Federation of Grain Millers (AFGM) unofficially began at the start of the 1880s and grew larger. A number of small unions came together in 1936 to form the National Council of Grain Processors under the American Federation of Labor (AFL). In 1941 the council was rebranded as the American Federation of Grain processors and again 1948 to become the AFGM.

The AFGM merged with the Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union in 1999 to form the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) which is still active today. The Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union was officially formed in the 1960s but the unions that merged to create it also began in the 1880s.  Today the BCTHM has over 100,000 members and continues strong.

The purpose for the word international in the various unions is there to include Canadian labor forces within the unions. 'Union Companies' include Kraft Foods and Russell Stover among others.

A round and bare female backside in red and white with white on blue text surrounding.

COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) was founded in 1973 as a union and advocacy group for prostitutes and others involved in the sex industry. Founded by Margo St. James, a former prostitute and madam, the group advocates for the decriminalization of prostitution as well as providing education to the public, expert testimony in legal cases and support and services to those involved in sex work. This button, from the mid-70s shortly after COYOTE was founded, features one of the group’s tag lines, “My ass is mine." COYOTE is still active today with chapters in multiple states.

A yellow peanut in the center with yellow text at top and bottom on a navy background with a thin yellow line at the edge.

The Peanut Club, first formed in 1931, was created on accident and would go on to fund a children’s ward at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, UK. A journalist by the name of Mrs. Kay Clemetson wrote a parody for the Courier Newspaper titled, “The Peanut Club”. In the parody, the Peanut Club offered a bag of peanuts to any child who donated 12 pennies toward the Turnbridge Wells Hospital. After the article was published, a young girl read the article and took it seriously. The Peanut Club quickly became a reality which grew to be an international organization. The Peanut Club donated €24,000 to go towards the building of the much-needed children’s ward. They also helped fund care for the Royal Air Force during WWII. The children’s ward took in long-term burn victims from the war and provided plastic surgery. The Peanut Club continued to provide aid to burn victims long after WWII. In 1965, they provided new equipment to the new McIndoe Burns Center at Queen Victoria Hospital.

Four black and white stripes with contrasting text with the image of a trolley toward the top and the union seal at the bottom.

The Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America union was founded in September of 1892. The union was intended to represent employees of the transit industry and be international, initially focusing on the east coast of the United States and Canada. The objectives of the union included settlement of disputes with management, securing fair compensation and good working conditions also education for workers. Although the union participated in strikes by the start of the 20^th century the union became much more militant in its efforts. During these strikes the public and small business often sympathized with the streetcar employees. Nowadays the Amalgamated Transit Union is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in the United States and Canada. The union has over 190,000 members across 46 states and 9 provinces. The ATU represents operators of buses, vans, subway trains, and light rail. Additionally clerks, baggage handlers, maintenance workers and others are also represented by ATU. There are currently 220 local unions in North America with Chicago being Division 241. 

A black and white photograph of a smiling, young boy surrounded by white text on a black background.

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Stereotypical Indian in chief's headdress on ivory circle on an olive background with circular, ivory font. 

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A white star shape with alien antennae behind indigo B-52's logo and text at top and bottom on a magenta background.

Established in October of 1976 by Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, and siblings Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson, B-52 is a party band originating in Athens, GA. It is named after Southern slang for exaggerated ‘bouffant’ hairdos. One of their original members, Ricky Wilson passed away from AIDS in 1985. His sister, Cindy Wilson left the band in 1990. The band continued to produce music until they hit a lull in the 90s. They did not release a new album until 16 years later in 2008. Cindy Wilson later rejoined the band after her departure. Three of the five original members of the band still tour today. 

Black text with a red airplane above a white white shield on a red background.

This button is for the radio show Speed Gibson of the International Secret Police, which ran from January 1937 to May 1940. Created by Virginia Cooke, the weekly show chronicled the adventures of a 15-year-old pilot who becomes a member of the International Secret Police (the ISP on the button). The first 100 episodes followed Speed as he pursued Octopus and his gang in Asia. In the next 78 shows, Speed continued to hunt for Octopus in Africa. All but one of the program's sponsors were bread makers, who issued collectible buttons to promote the show.

An animated child in a red witch's hat traces an image of a horse and rider which is being projected downward from a camera on a tripod in front of him, an outer navy blue circle contains white text.

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