American Federation Of Labor Racine Wisconsin

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Text on Button RACINE WIS. LOCAL UNION A.F. OF L. 1937 43 OCT.
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Black text, two union bugs, and white seal with horses on purple background. Black text on yellow outer rim. 

Curl Text BASTIAN BROS CO. ROCHESTER N.Y.
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Local chapter of American Federation Of Labor & Congress Of Industrial Organizations in Racine, Wisconsin. The American Federation of Labor was one of the first labor unions in the U.S., founded in Columbus, OH in 1886. It was also the largest labor union in the first half of the 20th century. After merging with the Congress of Industrial Unions it has become the longest lasting labor federation in the country. 

Catalog ID CL0073

Can The Cant

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Text on Button "CAN THE CANT"
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Silver can with white label, red text on white label. White background with blue around edges

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Catalog ID CA0018

Red Cross Small

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Image Description

Red cross on white background

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HOAG CO.; two curved black lines

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The American Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton and a group of her acquaintances in Washington, D.C. in 1881. It is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. The organization accepts contributions of time, blood, and money to support lifesaving services and programs.

Catalog ID CA0038

Peace Sign

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Image Description

Teal peace sign on white background

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The peace sign was originally created in 1958 by Gerald Holtom for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Inspired partly by semaphore flag signals for "N" and "D" (Nuclear Disarmament), Holtom sketched the symbol several times in preparation for the upcoming protests. Afterward the symbol was adopted by the American Student Peace Union in the 1960s, it grew to become the iconic symbol that we know today. Holtom passed away in 1985, and his collection of sketches was donated to the Commonweal Collection at the University of Bradford.

Catalog ID CA0046

Norml

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Text on Button NORML
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White block text and a light green marijuana leaf on a dark green background.

Curl Text NORML XX17 (first numbers illegible) M ST. WASHINGTON DC LARRY FOX BUTTONS-38 EMERSON PL VALLEY STREAM NY
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Established in 1970, NORML is a nonprofit public-interest advocacy group that lobbies for state and federal marijuana policy reform. During the seventies, NORML led a successful attempt to decriminalize minor marijuana offenses in eleven states and to lower penalties in several others. Today, it is the group's mission to influence public opinion sufficiently to have marijuana prohibition repealed. They support both decriminalization and legalization. 

Catalog ID CA0023

United Auto Workers Steward

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Text on Button U.A.W. STEWARD C.I.O
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White text on two black banners and black text with white shadow on a turquoise background. 

Curl Text BASTIAN BROS CO. ROCHESTER N.Y.
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The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American labor union which represents workers in industries such as autos and auto parts, health care, casino gaming and higher education. 

Catalog ID CL0072

Survival

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Text on Button SURVIVAL
Image Description

Top three quarters of the button have a black background, bottom quarter has a white background. Black text on white portion with the top of the letters meeting the boundary of the black portion. There is a white tree coming out of top of the  letter "I" into black portion.

Curl Text ENACT ECOLOGY CENTER, INC. Ann Arbor, Mich.
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This button, distributed by the ENACT (Environmental Action for Survival) Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan, touts one of the popular mantras of environmentalists in the late 1960s and 1970s: Survival. The mounting environmental degradation of this period provoked questions about the future of humanity and concerns about its survival. As part of this movement, the Ecology Center was established one month after the first Earth Day in 1970. This establishment sought to promote environmental awareness, education, and advocacy through endeavors such as recycling programs, community projects, and environmental lobbying.

Sources

Rome, Adam. (2003). "Give Earth a Chance": The Environmental Movement and the Sixties. Journal of American History, 90(2), 525-554.

Catalog ID CA0005

Local 6 Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees

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Text on Button LOCAL 6 H.E.R.E.
Image Description

Red apple with white number 6 in the center; red text on a white background. 

Curl Text Union Bug AFL-CIO Local 64
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Local 6, Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees International Union, also known as Unite Here, represents workers in New York City who work in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry, and airport industries. Local 6 grew out of the hotel and restaurant workers strikes in 1912, 1929 and 1934 and now provides major support for employees in  the hotel and club industries in New York. 

Catalog ID CL0071

No Nukes

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Text on Button NO NUKES
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Illustration of a person with dark hair and blue shirt carrying white flag on red background, blue text on white flag

Curl Text CBC P.O. Box 521 Santa Cruz, CA. 95061
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During the 1960s and 1970s, the anti-nuclear movement started, which includes avariety of social movements that opposed various nuclear technologies. Parts of these movements were large anti-nuclear demonstrations and protests. Anti-nuclear power protests would include protesters with flags bearing the words “No Nukes!”

There can also be significance to a woman holding the flag on the button. Women Strike for Peace, a women’s peace activist group in the United States, marched to demonstrate against nuclear weapons. 

Catalog ID CA0013

Save Me

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Text on Button SAVE ME
Image Description

Drawing of a tree with green leaves and an orange/brown trunk on a darker green background. Tree has eyes, mouth, and a branch for a nose. Yellow snakes form text in leaves near top of button and white speech bubble with black text to right of tree's mouth. Plant with yelllow leaves to left of tree.

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Catalog ID CA0007