A Famous Button
One of the most famous political campaigns against Franklin D. Roosevelt used a large number of buttons to promote a message. Wendell Willkie was running for president in the direst of times. The depression that brought so much misery to the United States was leading directly into World War II, and people were looking for a change.
In 1940, Willkie’s campaign included millions of lithographed slogan buttons that were dispersed throughout the United States as a quick response to news items about Franklin D. Roosevelt. These buttons are now a collector’s item bringing in big bucks to those who kept these buttons in mint condition. Recently, we have seen a rise in button production by political campaigners in favor of disposable lapel stickers.