C0338Guide to Political campaigns button collection C0338Political campaigns button collectionAmanda MenjivarGeorge Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center

March 24, 2023

Fenwick Library, MS2FL4400 University Dr.Fairfax, Virginia 22030Business Number: 703-993-2220Fax Number: 703-993-8911speccoll@gmu.eduURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-10-24 07:04:54 -0400.Description is written in: English, Latin script.Describing Archives: A Content Standard George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center Political campaigns button collection Spencer, Lynn C0338 /repositories/2/resources/663 0.25 Linear Feet 114 buttons, one scarf; 115 items total circa 1956 - 1992 114 buttons and one scarf made to advertise American political campaigns, created from circa 1956 - 1992. R 72, C 4, S 1 English . Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions.

 Use Restrictions

The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)

 Preferred Citation

Political campaigns button collection, C0338, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

 Acquisition Information

Donated by Lynn Spencer in November 2019.

 Processing Information

Processing and finding aid completed by Amanda Menjivar in March 2023.

 Historical Information

Political buttons have been used in the United States since Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign in 1860. The mass produced election campaign buttons we know today were first created in 1896 for the presidential race between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. That very year a patent for a pin-back/celluloid front button design allowed for the mass production. Political buttons, whether to support a political candidate, cause, or party, are still used today.

 Scope and Content 114 buttons and one scarf made to advertise American political campaigns, created from circa 1956 - 1992. Some of the campaigns included are:

- Stevenson-Kefauver presidential campaign (1956)

- Kennedy-Johnson presidential campaign (1960)

- Nixon-Lodge presidential campaign (1960)

- Goldwater-Miller presidential campaign (1964)

- McGovern-Shriver presidential campaign (1972)

- Clinton-Gore presidential campaign (1992)

Other buttons include "Pat for First Lady," GOP and Republican Party-themed buttons, and buttons promoting Democratic Missouri Senator Jim Symington. A few of the buttons are in foreign languages, included Hebrew and Greek. The included scarf was created for Eugene McCarthy's 1968 presidential campaign. Related Materials

The Special Collections Research Center holds other collections that contain political buttons, including the and the .

, , , , and all hold political buttons collections.

 Arrangement

This is a single box collection.

 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Most of the buttons were designed with the needle protruding off to the side. Care needed when handling.

 Bibliography

King, Elizabeth. "The Long Story Behind Presidential Campaign Buttons and Pins[.]" Time Magazine, May 17, 2016. https://time.com/4336931/campaign-buttons-history/.

Moenster, Kathleen. "Political Campaign Buttons[.]" National Park Service, Febraury 8, 2019. https://www.nps.gov/jeff/blogs/political-campaign-buttons.htm#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20campaign%20buttons,tintype%20or%20ferrotype%20photo%20process.

 Memorabilia Political campaigns -- United States Presidents -- Election United States -- Politics and government Spencer, Lynn