Pinback Button, "Johnson Humphrey"

Tilt this pinback button, and a color photo of President Lyndon B. Johnson materializes. Tilt it again, and Vice President Hubert Humphrey appears. Both images urge voters to reelect Johnson and Humphrey in the 1964 presidential race. The lenticular button belonged to longtime Washington, DC resident and political reporter, Ethel L. Payne (1911-1991), known as the First Lady of the Black Press for her pioneering career. President Johnson recognized the lifelong civil rights activist’s work toward fulfilling African Americans’ voting rights by presenting Payne with a coveted ceremonial pen he used to sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She received a second ceremonial pen in honor of her contributions when he signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Both pens are in the Anacostia Community Museum’s collection. See Accession Numbers 1991.0076.0104 and 1991.0076.0105.