In the late 20th century the T-shirt became an important vehicle for the display of political messages. Women as well as, other marginalized and underrepresented groups, continue to use the T-shirt as a frontline fashion to advocate for equal rights and share messages of empowerment, solidarity, and liberation.

Top row left to right:

Graphic T-shirt "Heroes, friends, mothers, daughters, visionaries, queens, rulers, women," loaned by Jenny Leigh Du Puis

Graphic T-shirt "Phenomenal Woman," loaned by Cindy Mosqueda

Graphic T-shirt "This is a T-shirt About Women," loaned by Lynda Xepoleas

Graphic T-shirt "Girl Power," loaned by Tori Pietsch

Graphic T-shirt "Nevertheless She Persisted," loaned by Kate Greder

“Smart Women Vote” tank top, worn by Jennifer Farley Gordon ‘03, 2004, designed by Smart Women in collaboration with the League of Women Voters, U.S.A., gift of Jennifer Farley Gordon ‘03, CF+TC #2005.03.02

Graphic T-shirt "Black Lives Matter," loaned by Kelly Reddy-Best

Graphic T-shirt, “Stonewall 25,” New York, NY 1994, gift of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley Records, loaned by the Human Sexuality Collection, Cornell University Library, loaned by the Human Sexuality Collection, Cornell University Library, HSC #7813, Box 2, MU-2200

Graphic T-shirt "Support Freedom of Sexuality," CF+TC# 2006.26.002, gift of Soule Golden

Graphic T-shirt with scissors image, loaned by Linda Friedman Schmidt

Bottom row left to right:

Graphic T-shirt "Girl with Curves," loaned by Cindy Mosqueda

Graphic T-shirt "Never Underestimate the Power of a Woman," loaned by Lindsay Elise Van Meter

Graphic T-shirt, grey with yellow fist, loaned by Cindy Mosqueda

Graphic T-shirt "Free Pussy Riot," loaned by Amanda Denham

Graphic T-shirt “Pussy Grabs Back,” worn by Melissa Dawson voting at the Presidential Election November, 2016, a collaboration with the journalist Jessica Bennett, writer and performer Amanda Duarte, and inspired by the work of artist Stella Marrs, loaned by Melissa Dawson

Graphic T-shirt “A Simple Matter of Justice ~Harvey Milk,” San Francisco, 1992, Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day Parade and Celebration, HSC #7323, Box 18, Aeon 95640, MU-2272, loaned by the Human Sexuality Collection, Cornell University Library

Graphic T-shirt “Pussy Grabs Back,” worn by Melissa Dawson voting at the Presidential Election November, 2016, A collaboration with the journalist Jessica Bennett, writer and performer Amanda Duarte, and inspired by the work of artist Stella Marrs, worn by Melissa Dawson voting at the Presidential Election November, 2016, loaned by Melissa Dawson

Graphic T-shirt “Strong Women – Know Them, Be Them, Raise Them,” worn by Melissa Dawson, Human Unlimited, loaned by Melissa Dawson

Graphic T-shirt "No Uterus, No Opinion," loaned by Lindsay Elise Van Meter

The iconic Pussy Hat made its street debut during the 2017 Women’s March supporting Women’s rights and political activism. Pink caps were handknitted, crocheted, or sewn in what started as the Pussyhat Project™ with only knitting needles and a ball of yarn to keep wearers heads warm during upcoming marches and rallies. The pattern invited knitters of all levels to be part of the project while also highlighting ‘pussycat ears’ within the design. The iconic Pussy Hat quickly became adopted among the masses and created a “sea of pink” in marches within major cities and local communities alike. The message is both a symbol of protest and unity embodied among our everyday heroes.

From top to bottom, left to right: numbers as seen on final image in slideshow above

(1) Pussy Hat, worn by Susan Taber Avila, made by Susan Taber Avila, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(2) Pussy Hat, worn by Maxine Craig, made by Susan Taber Avila, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(3) Pussy Hat, worn by Gretchen Fehm Blake, made by Norma Rice, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(4) Pussy Hat, worn by Anna Stratton at the Washington, D.C., Women’s March on January 21 2017, made by Anna Stratton

(5) Pussy Hat, worn by Stephanie Brown Fehm, made by Norma Rice, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(6) Pussy Hat, made by Candace Kling, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(7) Pussy Hat, worn by Kim Balch-Hammons, made by Kim Balch-Hammons, CA, loaned by Susan Kaiser

(8) Pussy Hat, worn by Mardelle Shepley, made by Mardelle Shepley

(9) Pussy Hat, worn by Leah Shafer, made by Dr. Kristen Welsh

(10) Pussy Hat loaned by Katie Rehner

(11) Pussy Hat Made by Patricia Heckar, loaned by Mary K.

(12) Pussy Hat, loaned by Patricia Heckart

(13) Pussy Hat, made by Pam Crosby, loaned by Ithaca IndiVISIBLE

(14) Pussy Hat, loaned by Katie Rehner

(15) Pussy Hat, worn by Rosa Fox, made by Elizabeth Root

(16) Pussy Hat , worn by William Gilbert, made by Elizabeth Root

(17) Pussy Hat, worn by Katie Rehner, made by Risa Cyr

(18) Pussy Hat, worn by Katie Rehner, made by Risa Cyr

(19) Pussy Hat, worn by Elizabeth Root, made by Elizabeth Root

(20) Pussy Hat, worn by Magdalen Cindeberg at the Washington, D.C., Women’s March on January 21, 2017 and the Seneca Falls, NY Women’s March on January, 20 2018, made by Magdalen Cindeberg

(21) Pussy Hat, worn by Jenny McGuire, made by Elizabeth Root

(22) Pussy Hat, worn by Risa Cyr, made by Risa Cyr

(23) Pussy Hat, worn by Risa Cyr, made by Risa Cyr

(24) Pussy Hat, worn by Risa Cyr’s child, made by Risa Cyr

(25) Pussy Hat, worn by the daughter of Lesli Sagan, made by Lesli Sagan

(26) Pussy Hat, made by anonymous, loaned by Ithaca IndiVISIBLE

(27) Pussy Hat, made by Pam Crosby, loaned by Ithaca IndiVISIBLE

(28) Pussy Hat, worn by Elizabeth Root, made by Lily Root, granddaughter of Elizabeth Root

(29) Pussy Hat, worn by Carol Laborie at the Seneca Falls, NY Women’s March on January, 20 2018, made by Carol Laborie

(30) Pussy Hat, worn by Susan Sarabasha at the Ithaca, NY Women’s March on January, 21 2017 and the Seneca Falls, NY Women’s March on January, 20 2018 , made by Susan Sarabasha

(31) Pussy Hat, CCTC #2017.14.01, worn by Tiffany McLaughlin, made by Olivia Royale / Easy Living Hats

(32) Pussy Hat, worn by Marie Sirakos, made by Olivia Royale / Easy Living Hats

(33) Pussy Hat, made by Anna Dunford Meacham, worn and loaned by Rebecca Dunford Grant

(34) Pussy Hat, loaned by Renate Ferro, Ithaca, NY

(35) Pussy Hat, made by Kelsie Doty and worn by Denise Green

(36) Pussy Hat, worn by Carol Laborie at the Ithaca, NY Women’s March

Activism can take place in the street, on the congressional floor, and all points in between. This case features three items that show solidarity (a) the blue blazer worn by Representative Katherine Clark when she led a sit-in on the floor of the US House of Representatives in June 2016. In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting at that point in US history, Clark was protesting the GOP's refusal to hold votes on two gun-control provisions;

(b) a pink pussy-eared parka was worn in the streets to show solidarity with the 2017 Women's March; and (c) a miniature quilt featuring Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female head of state in Africa. She has been called Africa's "Iron Lady" primarily because of her strength in surviving hardships, imprisonment, and near death encounters (Cooper, 2017). In 2011, Sirleaf received the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts toward improving women's safety and their rights to participate in peace building (Nobel Price, 2011). Sirleaf served as president of Liberia for twelve years: this small quilt is made of commemorative cloth depicting Sirleaf's face and acknowledges her powerful role in African politics and leadership.