Bozo the clown underneath a circle / slash sign.

"No Bozos" is a phrase used express the seriousness of a matter at hand, meaning no clowning around or no kidding or to mean no stupid or rude people.

Mayor Jane Byrne campaign button. White underlined text on green background.

Jane Byrne was the first female mayor of Chicago serving from 1979 to 1983. Her policies ranged from limiting possession of handguns, hiring African-American cabinet members, to revitalizing Navy Pier. Sympathetic to the plight of the inner city, Byrne decided to move into the housing project Cabrini-Green, along with her husband. Her plan was to bring attention to the crime rate there, after 37 shootings resulted in 11 deaths in just three months at the beginning of 1981. However, Mayor Byrne remained only for three weeks causing many to see it as simply a publicity stunt.

The most interesting event in her term as Mayor happened on November 11, 1981. A man named Dan Goodwin climbed the John Hancock Building, dressed as Spider-Man, getting as high as the 38th floor before authorities became involved. When the Chicago Fire Department planned to hose Goodwin off of the side of the building while also breaking glass along his path to keep him in one spot, Mayor Byrne interceded on his behalf. She allowed him to continue without hosing him and he successfully made the climb to the top of the building. 

Button is a white baseball with black text, a red pennant with white text, and a player's head with cap.

The Chicago White Sox won the American League pennant but lost to the the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to two in the 1959 World Series. 

Black text on grey background.

The Chicago Flat Janitor's Union formed in 1902 despite pressure from employers associations.  The Union began collaborating with the American Federation of Labor 1904, later cooperating with the Building Service Employees International Union, the BSEIU (later the Service  Employees International Union, SEIU). Local 1 continues to advocate on behalf of service employees as the Chicago Flat Janitor's Union.  AFL-CIO Union dues button indicates union dues have been paid.

Fluorescent pink background with black text and panther illustration.

“Free Huey” was the slogan used by the Black Panther Party and other activist organizations to rally around Huey Newton’s arrest for the murder of an Oakland police officer in 1968. Newton, a political activist and revolutionary, co-founded the Black Panther Party in 1966. The actual events leading up to Newton’s arrest were manipulated by both the press and the Black Panthers, however Newton’s image became an icon used to remind people of enforcement tactics used by the police. For a time, he represented the troubles of an entire race. Newton was found guilty on September 8, 1968, but did not face the death penalty, only significant time in prison.  

White text on blue background. "Obama" between white lines on upper third of button.

Barack Obama was sworn in as a US senator on January 4, 2005. He was considered a "loyal Democrat" based on his voting record. He resigned his seat on November 16, 2008 to focus on his transition period for the presidency.

Black text with red heart on white background.

This is a variation of the I heart NY logo that was created in 1977 by Milton Glaser for an ad campaign created by advertising agency Wells Rich Greene. The marketing campaign was sought by then-Deputy Commissioner William S. Doyle to increase tourism in the state of New York. The campaign was a wild success. The original sketch of the logo is permanently on display at the MOMA.

The logo has become iconic in pop-culture and has been imitated in many forms around the world.

This button was manufactured by the Busy Beaver Button Co.

White text on blue with image of Jane Byrne. Red text on white on lower third with union bug. Union bug on face of button. Image of Jane Byrne with fist in the air.

Jane Byrne was the first female mayor of Chicago. Known as a reformer, she lived in the housing project Cabrini-Green to bring attention to the crime rate there. She was also the first mayor to recognize the gay community. In 1981, Dan Goodwin climbed the Hancock Tower dressed as Spider-Man and Mayor Byrne intervened when the Chicago Fire Dept wanted to hose him off the building. He continued to the top, receiving cheers from the crowd of onlookers.

White litho button with black text and centered Bozo the Clown image.

Bob Bell played the original "Bozo the Clown" from 1960-1984. He was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1996. Simpson's actor Dan Castellaneta cites Bob Bell's Bozo as the influence for his Krusty the Clown character. The WGN-TV Chicago Bozo Show debuted in 1960 and continued until 2001.

Orange coffee cup with blue lettering, yellow saucer with text. Brown doughnut with bite marks. White text on white background.

The Taste of Chicago is the name of an annual food festival located in Chicago, Illinois. The first Taste of Chicago was in 1980 and it has been a yearly occurrence ever since, with the exception of 1981 when it was canceled. The slogan of the 1987 Taste of Chicago was "Taste of Chicago: 150 Years & Still Cookin". This slogan celebrated the 150th anniversary of the founding of the city of Chicago. The taste of Chicago features live musical performances and dozens of food booths. Admission is free, but food tickets cost money. The event has lasted anywhere between 1 to 10 days.