Pinback Button, "Home Rule Charter, Yes!"

1974

Created for a 1974 referendum campaign, this pinback button’s bold red-and-black lettering encouraged residents of the District of Columbia to vote for the Home Rule Charter. The campaign led to the Charter’s passage, shifting some powers from Congress to local government and establishing Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, which represented smaller sections of the city and informed decisions on specific needs of each community. By wearing a button like this and advocating for greater self-government, campaigners and citizens brought political empowerment to Washington, DC neighborhoods.