The Ohio State University

ARTIFACTS COLLECTION SUBGROUP: LAPEL PINS CATEGORY

SCOPE & CONTENT

The Lapel Pins Category contains one hundred and sixty small pins or badges designed for display on the lapel of a suit coat or jacket. Dating from 1962 to 2002, these pins help illustrate all aspects of John Glenn’s adult life, though the bulk of the collection dates from his NASA and U.S. Senate careers. Included are pins pertaining to a variety of NASA space missions, research centers, and anniversaries. In addition, the collection contains a number of pins from the space program of the former Soviet Union. Also included in the NASA sub-category is a framed, limited edition set of pins honoring John Glenn’s return to space in 1998 as a crewmember of the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-95. 

The Senate sub-category contains a large assortment of pins celebrating a specific locale, group, or event in Ohio. Other pins advocate various public policy issues or political causes. Numerous pins in the collection date from John Glenn’s election campaigns, especially from his presidential campaign in 1984. Also included are pins from the election campaigns of other Democratic politicians and pins promoting the Democratic Party in general. Of particular note are the pins in the collection pairing the U.S. flag with the flag of a foreign country. Glenn wore these pins during his fact-finding trips overseas with congressional delegations. 

The collection also includes sets of limited edition pins from the 101^st Tournament of Roses Parade in 1990 and from the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. John Glenn was Grand Marshal of the Rose Bowl Parade in 1990 and helped carry the Olympic flag during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 winter games. Another set of pins in the collection celebrates the commissioning of the B-2 Stealth Bombers in the 509^th Bomber Wing of the U.S. Air Force.

Return to Artifacts Introduction Page