Red text on a white background

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black and white illustration of a pair of Converse All-Star sneakers surrounded by black text. Black handwritten text reading "Bands" set below the sneakers on blue background. 

Souvenir from a 1979 dance marathon competition at Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York. The marathon pits dancers against each other in a test to see who can remain on their feet for the longest period of time.

Illustration of a red fish with two red water drops with black text above and below on a white background.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Blue text on a white background

This phrase stems from a 1991 episode of Saved By the Bell of the same name.

Yellow text on a blue background with two yellow horizontal lines

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Red text on a white background

Ruth Harris started the “Hugs Not Drugs” project in 1982 and 1983 by first writing a publishing the “Hugs Not Drugs” workbook that she intended to use, as a teacher, in her classroom. Ruth began distributing her workbooks for free in various locations to various families. Ruth decided to quit teaching in 1985 so that she could spread the “Hugs Not Drugs” project across the nation. The program continued to grow and expand throughout the 1980s and was ultimately sponsored, financially and through distribution, by Nancy Reagan in 1991. The program continues to be supported by families and celebrities alike. The mission of the program is to continue to help addicted families that are need of help. The program assists families through counseling, rehabilitation centers and education. The program raises funds through consignment of donated items and by selling “Hugs Not Drugs” merchandise. The program helps families with their rehabilitation centers and through educating the community. 

White text on a green square with a white figure throwing away litter in a trash can on a white background

Recycling has been practiced for almost the entirety of human history. With Industrialization and the production of cheaper materials recycling became an even more important and necessary practice. The increase of the production of plastic materials from 1960-2000 fueled the necessity for additional recycling from individuals and industries. The “Pitch In” slogan acts as a recycle reminder. The slogan and the green sign is perceived as friendly and helps to remind people to dispose of waste in a responsible way. Studies have shown that individuals that have been taught these habits or who are surrounded by others who do are most likely to recycle. The “Pitch In” slogan not only reminds individuals to recycle, but suggests that others are already recycling.

Red text on a white background

Solidarity (Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity”) began on August 31, 1980 as a Polish trade union federation. The union was created under the leadership of Lech Walęsa in the Gdańsk Shipyard. The Solidarity trade union was significant because it was the first non-communist party-controlled trade union in a Warsaw Pact country. The Warsaw Pact was signed in 1955 and basically allowed the Soviet Union to maintain military control over eight communist states in Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Albania and the Soviet Union). By September 1981 Solidarity’s membership was about one third of the working population in Poland (9.5 million). Not only did Solidarity work for worker’s rights, they were also a group that used civil resistance to invoke social change. The group was initially supported financially by the United States, about 50 million dollars.

In the 1980s the Polish government attempted to destroy the union, but ultimately had to negotiate with them. Solidarity helped to lead the opposition to semi-free elections in 1989 which resulted in the election of Walęsa as the President of Poland in 1990. Solidarity had some connections with the Catholic church, as many members identified as Catholic, and Pope John Paul II publicly supported the group. The Solidarity union’s influence spread beyond Poland throughout the Eastern Bloc creating opposition to the Communist government. In the early 1990s this opposition led to the dismantling of the Eastern Bloc and dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Solidarity movement continues to influence other groups abroad to this day.

Blue on a white semi circle background and white text on a red semi circle background with a blue eagle and stars.

The Union Label and Service Trade Department was founded in 1909 to promote the purchase of American and union made products. Union labels began to show up, informally, in the late 19^th century as a result of industrialization. Labels were added to inform consumers that the products they were buying were made by workers that had worked the new eight-hour day. The Union Labels were implemented more nationally after the 1909 founding of the UL & STD. Union made products were identified through the union label, store and shop cards and service buttons. This button would have served as a “service button” for a worker. In other words, this button would have served to inform customers that the employee who wore it was working for a fair and decent employer and that the products that were being sold at that establishment were union made. 

Black union bug and black text on white background. 

American Income Life Insurance Company, or AIL, provides supplemental life insurance to labor unions, credit unions, and associations. The company was founded in 1951 and originally sold low-cost hospital insurance plans. In 1961 they began providing insurance to members of labor unions and their families, as well as contributing to strike funds, waiving payment of premiums during authorized strikes, and developing a college scholarship program for children of union members. 

In 1973, the AFL-CIO granted AIL an official designation as a Union Label company. It was one of only two insurance companies in the entire United States with the official Union Label.