Pinback button against US intervention in El Salvador
date: label: Date
content: 1981
name: label: Created by
content: People's Anti-War Mobilization, American, founded 1970s
label: Owned by
content: Sarah Elizabeth Wright, American, 1928 - 2009
notes: label: Caption
content: This button was made for an anti-imperialist march on Washington, D.C. on May 3, 1981. Over 100,000 people marched on the Pentagon protesting the US intervention in El Salvador, Palestine, and southern Africa. The march also focused on national issues such as racial violence, repression of the LGBTQ community, and called for an end to the draft.
label: Caption
content: From 1979-1992, a civil war between the military-backed junta and a coalition of Marxist left-wing groups raged in El Salvador. The Carter and Reagan administrations provided significant economic aid and military training to the government of El Salvador. During the war more than 75,000 Salvadorians were killed due to the military’s brutality against civilians.
label: Caption
content: This march also occurred during the Atlanta Child Murders. From 1979-1981, at least 28 individuals, all of whom were black, most of whom were young boys were murdered in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time of this march, neither the state nor federal investigations had identified any suspects.
label: Description
content: A round white pinback button with black text that reads [Defend / Atlanta's / Children / Not / El Salvador's / Junta]. Below this is a green graphic that ends in a pentagon. The graphic reads [March on the Pentagon / May 3] in white. Below this graphic, small black text reads [PEOPLE'S ANTI-WAR / MOBILIZATION]. A folded green ribbon has been attached to the back of the button.
label: Description
content: The manufacturer’s mark for [PEOPLE’S ANTI-WAR MOBILIZATION] is displayed on the underside of the button.
place: label: Place depicted
content: El Salvador, Latin America, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Atlanta, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Children
label: Topic
content: International affairs
label: Topic
content: Justice
label: Topic
content: Law
label: Topic
content: LGBTQ
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: Race discrimination
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Memorabilia and Ephemera - Political and Activist Ephemera
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Family of Sarah Elizabeth Wright
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2010.61.60
objectType: label: Type
content: buttons (information artifacts)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper (fiber product) with metal and plastic
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 2 x 2 in. (5.1 x 5.1 cm)