Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: political

" E pluribus unum . Remember me." A Victorian-era hidden-name calling card with an illustration of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885). The colorful die-cut scrap was a memorial to the president, and it lifts up on the right-hand side to reveal the name of "Mabel E. Emerich" printed underneath.

"To my valentine. I'm a socialist, will you be one? Free drinks, free money, free love. Ellam." Postmarked Saginaw West Side, Mich., Feb. 4, 1911, and addressed to Ward Brown, 820 North Mason, Saginaw West Side. Handwritten message: "I hope you are as I am and don't forget that day. You know and I know, and why should we forget it." Artist-signed postcard by William Ellam.

A die-cut Valentine greeting card with a suffragette girl giving a soapbox speech about women's voting rights . It wasn't until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920 that all women in the United States had the right to vote. For another copy of this card, see "No Votes No Hearts," Comic Valentine, ca. 1910-1920 over on Flickr. Votes for Women—No Votes, No Hearts. If words could tell of all the love within this heart of mine. I'd keep on speaking till I'd won you for my Valentine.

"The White House, Washington. Thank you for writing to me. I am honored to be your 'First Cat.' Socks." An oversized postcard postmarked Washington, D.C., Sept. 28, 1993. When Bill Clinton served as the 42nd President of the United States (1993-2001), Hillary was the First Lady and Socks was the First Cat. I wrote to Socks after he became First Cat, and he graciously acknowledged my letter by sending me this postcard. I guess we'll learn who will become the next First Pet on Election Day tomorrow.

Cover of a small booklet containing information about the set of miniature presidential figures that was issued by toy manufacturer Louis Marx and Company in the 1950s and 1960s.

"I wish to extend my warmest congratulations on the occasion of your birthday. Mrs. Nixon joins me in extending best wishes that health and happiness may always be yours. Richard Nixon." This birthday greeting from President Richard Nixon dates to his time in office (1969-1974), and his signature is, of course, a printed facsimile. As the White House's Request a Presidential Greeting page explains, U.S. citizens are still eligible to receive a similar greeting from the current president: "Birthday greetings are available for civilians celebrating their 80th (or greater) birthday and veterans celebrating their 70th (or greater) birthday. Please make your request at least 6 weeks in advance of the birthday."

"GOP, Generation Of Peace, 1972. Thank you for your support." A block of political campaign stamps given to supporters and potential donors by Richard Nixon during his run for a second term as U.S. president in 1972. "GOP" refers here to "Generation of Peace," a phrase that Nixon used in speeches about ending American involvement in the Vietnam War, but it also means "Grand Old Party," which, of course, is another name for the Republican Party .

A hidden name calling card with an illustration of U.S. President Grover Cleveland . Cleveland married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886 during his first term as president, and she was also the subject of a similar calling card :

Caption: "Mrs. Cleveland." Name hidden underneath the printed scrap: "Rue Crounover" (see Explanation of Hidden Name Calling Cards for an illustration showing how these cards work). Grover Cleveland , the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, began his first term in office (1885-1889) as a bachelor, but married Frances Clara Folsom in 1886. She served as First Lady during the remainder of Cleveland's first term and again during his second term (1893-1897). President Cleveland was also featured on a similar calling card :

According to folklorist Don Yoder, who included an example of this song broadside in his book The Pennsylvania German Broadside: A History and Guide (2005), p. 11, "The Great Know Nothing" song "is a clever takeoff on the political party of the 1850s known as the ' Know-Nothings ,' who ran against both Whigs and Democrats. The song adroitly transfers the 'Know-Nothing' cry of politics to the courting of Philadelphia's young people and the relation of husbands and wives, fathers and children. To get out of work, they all 'know nothing.'" As Yoder mentions, the setting of this amusing political song is Philadelphia, which was also called Quaker City for its association with William Penn and other Quakers . I like the distinctive ornamental border that the printer used on this piece. The Great Know Nothing Song, "I Don't Know." By Francis F. Eastlack, Air--Bow, Wow, Wow. Of all the many mighty things in this here Quaker City, Of dark, and brown, and blue-eyed girls, with cheeks so plump and pretty; Of all the wonders of the day that's horrible or shocking, The greatest question of them all is who are the know nothings? Chorus--I don't know; Nor you don't know, Then don't you ask me any thing, For I don't know. These men wear white hats all turned up, and at you boldly stare, sir, They only speak with nods and winks, and never comb their hair, sir, They beat both Whigs and Democrats, wherever they may go, sir, And if you ask them any thing they'll answer, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. The ladies, too, God bless their hearts, I cannot help but love them, For who with all their nods and winks, can ever be above them, No, they know their tricks, their signs, their grips, from head to heel and toe, sir, And should you ask a girl her name, shall answer, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. You dare not tell your wife be still, or say she's always squeeling, Or you'll find a great big three legged stool around your head come reeling, And the other day I asked my wife, only to mend my stockings, Now not an other word, she cried, I'm a feminine Know Nothing. I don't know, &c. The other day I came from work, with heat was almost smothered, Says I unto my youngest son, Ho, Sam! where is your mother? Then he turned his fingers on his nose, and with a voice half mocking, Why, dad, says he, why don't you know that I'm a young Know Nothing? I don't know, &c. We took this same smart son of ours one day to a public dinner, And into corn, and pork, and beans, he pitched in like a sinner, Says the lady, Now of all these men, your father to me show, Sam; Then he looked me right straight in the face, and answered I don't know, ma'am. I don't know, &c. Young men, now marry from this lot of pretty girls around you, And when your settled down in life, and family cares surround you, Take the advice of one poor man, who's suffered deepest wo, sir, Don't teach your little ones to say, why really, I don't know, sir. I don't know, &c. Now, ladies, don't you think 'tis hard, and don't you think it's shocking, That we in free America, should all of us know nothing; And don't you say with all your heart, I do believe it so, sir, Or can you say, like all the rest, Why really I don't know, sir? I don't know, &c. Published by H. J. Kehr, Central Hall, Frankford Road and Master Streets, And for sale at all the book stores. Copyright secured.

"Thank you! Each loaf of Sunbeam you buy is a vote for me. I'm in line for prizes in the big contest if you keep backing me. ________ (sig.) Your Sunbeam Salesman." Hat: "Sunbeam Energy Bread." As Wikipedia explains, " Sunbeam Bread is a franchised brand of white bread, rolls, and other baked goods owned by the Quality Bakers of America cooperative. The bread products are produced and distributed by regional bakeries....The brand was launched in 1942 and was first marketed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania." In the 1950s and 1960s, Quality Bakers ran contests with cars as prizes for the salesmen who handled Sunbeam and its other brands of bread. This poster, which dates to 1960, was probably distributed to grocery stores.

"For County Commissioner (Lower End), Henry Gill, of Northampton Township. Subject to Democratic rules."

"For county treasurer. 1893. E. H. Hershey, of Gordonville, Leacock Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. Subject to Republican rules." A selection of political candidate cards for men aspiring to local offices in Pennsylvania in the 1880s and 1890s.

"For state senator, 1888: John H. Landis, of Manor Township. Subject to Republican rules. 'A fraud in the count is the destruction of Republican government.'--James G. Blaine." John H. Landis, from Manor Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, used this card when he ran for state senator in 1888. He quoted James G. Blaine , a Republican party leader who was the unsuccessful presidential nominee in 1884. Blaine was nicknamed the "Plumed Knight," and it's likely that the feather, or "plume," on the card was a reference to Blaine. Interestingly, commentary on the front page of the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer , March 19, 1888 , specifically mentioned this card: "Candidate Landis got a good bit of cheap advertising as the prosecutor of the Indiantown and Sixth Ward election boards and the discussion of the cases has caused him to be known in every household of the county as the champion of a fair election and honest return. His campaign card bears on it a white plume and this extract from one of Blaine's speeches, 'A fraud in the count is the destruction of Republican government.'... If Landis gets the vote in this city his friends look for, he will pull through." Landis lost the election to the incumbent, State Senator Amos H. Mylin.

"Heed youth's call--vote as you think but vote! November 6, 1956. Use your freedom to vote. Boys Scouts of America. Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge." The printed text on the other side of this doorknob hanger includes the title "The American Way of Life," a list of "political and economic rights which protect the dignity and freedom of the individual," and another reminder to "Keep your freedom—vote!" According to "Boy Scouts to Leave Vote Pleas at 35,000,000 Homes," an article in the Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pa.), Oct. 25, 1956, p. 1, Scouts planned to distribute 35 million Liberty Bell hangers prior to the presidential election on November 6: "The nation's 4,175,134 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers, and adult leaders will climax their nationwide Get-Out-the-Vote campaign beginning Saturday, November 3. On that day and on Monday, November 5, they will call on a total of 35,000,000 homes and leave on front doorknobs a Liberty Bell hanger urging citizens to vote. "They have been conducting a nonpartisan campaign, without reference to any candidate or party. It has been sponsored jointly with Freedom Foundations, Inc., of Valley Forge." After all the votes were tallied on November 6, it turned out that incumbent Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower had won re-election and defeated his Democratic opponent Adlai Stevenson.

"Will you help make November 6th, 1940, a day of thanksgiving, or will you make it a day of mourning? Save our Constitution! Uphold the precepts of our republic! No third term!" This small card was a protest against U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's run for an unheard-of third term in office during the 1940 presidential election . Although the U.S. Constitution did not specify how many four-year terms a president could serve, George Washington, the first president, informally set a precedent for a two-term limit when he refused to run for a third term. Roosevelt, however, disregarded precedent, won a third term in 1940, and then a fourth term in 1944 before he died in office in 1945. As a result, the U.S. Congress set a two-term limit in 1947 by passing the Twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified by the states in 1951.

Richard M. Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew, running in the 1968 U.S. presidential election as the Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates, used the popularity of cartoonist Charles Shultz's animated television special, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (first broadcast in 1966), to suggest that even the Great Pumpkin --the Halloween equivalent of Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny--would cast a vote for them. Campaign workers evidently canvassed neighborhoods and placed pumpkin doorknob hangers like this one on the front doors of potential voters. Since the election that year was on November 5, the pumpkins served as a holiday-themed message at the end of October to remind voters to go to the polls. The Great Pumpkin was looking out for Nixon and Agnew, and they won the election.

"If you want a big man for sheriff, vote for Laury P. Sevis, the biggest man in York County (363 pounds). Thanks." A local political candidate card, probably dating to the 1930s.