Presidential Pins

Sid Espinosa‘s collection of past election memorabilia serves as a reminder to keep both the past and the present in perspective.

While elections are always good inflection points, Espinosa treasures a tangible reminder that no one election is necessarily more important than another. Even though, as he says, “they always seem like the most important thing at the time,” all he has to do is turn to his collection of some 900 presidential pins, which date back to the 1800s, to be reminded of how many times the fate of the country might have appeared to rest on a single choice.

“You can be reminded of all the elections through the decades,” Espinosa says. “It’s such an interesting journey through history. I’m absolutely fascinated by presidential history and campaigns. And I’d suggest that any election, including the upcoming one in November, is absolutely as important as you think it is. There are lessons to be learned from every single one.”

Editor, Wesleyan University Magazine