“All Purpose Political Button” Vietnam March for Peace Button
1965 - Diameter: 4 inches
 
A rare large-format protest button issued for the November 27, 1965, Vietnam March for Peace in Washington, D.C. Produced in an edition of approximately 250 examples, the button was intentionally issued without the customary celluloid covering, allowing participants to strike or amend the printed text, divided among “Abolish,” “Support,” “End,” and “Free,” to reflect individual positions.
 
The march, among the earliest large-scale national demonstrations against the Vietnam War, marked a pivotal moment in the emergence of organized, visible dissent in the United States. Drawing tens of thousands to the capital, it helped to consolidate a broad coalition of student groups, civil rights activists, and intellectuals, establishing a model for mass protest that would expand significantly over the following years. Objects issued for the event, particularly those such as the present example that embody its participatory ethos, stand among the earliest material expressions of the antiwar movement.
 
Condition: Excellent.