Pinback Button, "Geraldine Ferraro for V.P."

This pinback button stumps for Geraldine Ferraro, who ran for Vice President of the United States in 1984. In red at the top, “A Political First” refers to Ferraro being the first female vice presidential nominee to represent a major political party. The former member of Congress ran on the Democratic presidential ticket with Walter Mondale; however, incumbent Ronald Reagan won the election. The campaign button hails from journalist Ethel L. Payne’s collection of political pins. A longtime Washington, DC resident and political reporter, Payne (1911-1991) became known as First Lady of the Black Press for her pioneering career.