Date of Exhibition: Fall 2020- Fall 2022

Curator: David Grinnell (Coordinator of Archives and Manuscripts)

Location:  Archives & Special Collections exhibit gallery, 3rd floor Hillman Library, University of Pittsburgh 3960 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15260 

Description: The national elections held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 were major expressions of public engagement in the political process in the United States. But throughout the nation's history, civic and political engagement has been expressed in many forms. Documenting public policy and civic engagement has been a focus for many archival repositories throughout the 20th century. Collections of political papers have been a major avenue for researchers to gain an understanding of these areas. Showcased here are buttons, badges, bumper stickers, posters, and flags that are indicative of materials that are found in many of our political collections. Much of these items were worn and used to promote specific candidates at the U.S (United States) national conventions of the Democratic and Republican Parties. Of specific note is the 1968 Democratic Convention Badge worn by K. LeRoy Irvis at the contentious Chicago meeting.