Glencoe Historical Society
at the
Eklund History Center & Garden

The Glencoe Historical Society opens its 2004 fall season with an Open House Friday, September 17, featuring an exhibition focused on the 1940s. Also displayed is a small group of historical objects that are seasonally contemporary and no different today than yesterday: political campaign buttons. As the countdown in the current presidential campaign intensifies, for many campaign button collectors and enthusiasts, it is their favorite season.

Buttons Become Political

Buttons are believed to have originated in the Indus Valley in Southeast Asia in about 2000 B.C. The earliest buttons were ornamental and without an apparent utilitarian function. Although the Greeks and Romans sometimes used buttons to fasten clothes, not until the 13th century, as changes in styles and fabrics dictated new methods of closure, that buttons became more prevalent. From the French word bouton, buttons soon became major symbols of wealth, power and prestige in the French royal courts of the next several hundred years. Frequently made of precious metals and jewels, as well as more mundane materials, the hallmark of their status and ubiquity, may have been Francois I, who in preparation for a meeting with Henry VII of England, had a suit made with over 13,000 gold buttons. Louis XIV, among other large appetites, spent $600,000 on buttons in one year. But it was not until the advent of elections, and political parties that “buttons” shed both their utilitarian and ornamental functions to become the miniature billboards of political choice. It is both amusing and daunting to imagine Francois, whether candidate or delegate, attending a modern political convention.

Buttons Become Part of US Campaigns

The first of what we consider the prototypes of today’s campaign buttons appeared in the late 1890s. Although various political ornaments date from the first election held in the United States—Washington sported brass buttons on his coat that read “GW-Long Live the President” and in 1824 Andrew Jackson supporters had buttons that attached to the lapel with ribbons—the election of 1896 saw the introduction of celluloid or cello buttons. The button was made of paper with the face of the candidate, in this case McKinley, covered in celluloid and wrapped around a metal disc secured by a metal ring called a collet or a collar. Subsequently the technology was developed to lithograph directly on to metal, and eventually more modern materials such as acetate and plastic replaced the old, and flammable, celluloid. The purpose has remained unchanged: a personal statement of choice, support and loyalty.

Famous and Valuable Buttons

For collectors, losers are often winners. One of the more valuable buttons is a jugate (carrying two candidate visages) showing James M. Cox and Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 1920 candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice-President. It is unlikely that Eugene Debs, Socialist Party Candidate in the 1904 election, wore his own campaign button, not because it was expensive then, but because the incarcerated—which at that time included Debs—are generally not allowed to have sharp objects. A large McGovern-Eagleton button brings to mind the phrase “I back him 110%” and its metamorphosis into a political kiss of death. After the disastrous 1972 election (at least if your persuasion was Democratic), post landslide buttons began to appear as Nixon began his slow descent toward resignation, “Don’t blame me, I voted for McGovern.” But while status as an also-ran may increase the value of certain buttons because they are scarce, there are exceptions. For example, Harold Stassen buttons—based on his nine unsuccessful runs for his party’s nomination between 1948 and 1992—can comprise an entire collection.

Political Buttons Featuring Women

Not surprisingly, the first political campaign buttons involving women did not trumpet a woman’s candidacy, but simply proclaimed “Votes for Women.” Later buttons encouraged votes for First Ladies such as “I like Mamie” which was not quite so catchy as “ I Like Ike” but seems infinitely better than the later “Thelma for First Lady” when Richard Nixon was the candidate. Eleanor McGovern drew upon a revered—if an often-ridiculed—Democratic icon with “Another Eleanor for the White House.” Nor were potential First Ladies immune from the slings and arrows of the political arena:

• “We don’t want Eleanor either” appeared in the thirties,
• “Just say no to Nancy” and “She wears red dresses, we get pink slips” confronted Nancy Reagan in the 1980s.

Two buttons in particular reflected the popularity of certain First Ladies outstripping that of their husbands as in “Betty yes, Gerry no” and more recently “Reelect Hillary’s Husband.”

As more women become candidates, not spouses, campaign buttons reflected this:

• Ferraro in 1984
• Schroeder for President
• Yellow dog democrats for Braun
• Unbossed and Unbought, Shirley Chisholm for President

Buttons with Complex/Mean Slogans

Since much of politics involves post and riposte, it comes as no surprise that not all political campaign buttons are as straight forward as “I like Ike,” or while worn at lapel level, strike a tone significantly below the belt.

From the good humored and benign such as:

• Repeat with Roosevelt, Repent with Willkie
• Truman was screwy to build a porch for Dewey

Subsequent campaigns produced more trenchant admonitions to the electorate such as:

• Dump the Hump
• Four more Weeks
• Mondale eats Quiche
• We were better off with Bonzo
• Beware this Bush bears bitter fruit
• Impeach Clinton
• It ain’t over ’til your brother counts the votes

Each of the 2004 candidates continue this barbed humor with:

• Three time purple oowie winner
• Regime change begins at home

Famous Slogans

And in closing, for you history aficionados, a few thrilling slogans from yesteryear for which you can in tears of sadness or unbridled gladness remember these famous names and years:

• Au H2O
• Four more Years
• A full dinner bucket
• He’s not my kind of Texan
• Leadership for the 60s
• A bridge to the 21st Century, and
• My heroes have always been Cowboys.

Your Vote Counts

Last, whichever buttons you don, please vote.

Comments

1.  

2. On September 21, 2004 10:19 PM, Nello Lucchesi said:

   An article entitled “Campaign Collectibles” ran in the August 19 issue of Glencoe News.

3. On October 5, 2004 4:26 PM, Nello Lucchesi said:

   The Glencoe Public Library also has a temporary exhibit of national political campaign buttons.

4. On October 20, 2004 2:11 PM, Nello Lucchesi said:

   An article titled “Society hosts political display for election season” ran in the October 14 issue of the Glencoe News. It features board member Alice Glicksberg on the cover and an interview with her regarding the button collection exhibit. Proofs of the pictures taken for the article can be viewed online.