Button, Campaign

Description

Metal, paper, and celluloid campaign lapel button for Edwin Warfield (1848-1920). Warfield came from a prominent Howard County family. He worked as a lawyer and held numerous political offices as a Democrat. Warfield ran for governor of Maryland in 1899, but was defeated. He ran again in 1903 and won. In 1904, he authorized the still popular Maryland state flag. Warfield was generally opposed to African American voting rights during his time in office, but refused to sign the "Poe Amendment," which would have effectively disenfranchised all African American voters. The amendment to the Maryland Constitution was sent to the voters in a referendum and the state rejected the discriminatory legislation. Warfield left office in 1908.