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Cleveland History Center preserves city's place in political history

RNC buttons, credentials and confetti collected
Posted at 3:28 PM, Aug 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-03 17:29:44-04
Right now, the American political story is playing out on the campaign trail.
 
And the 2016 presidential election will certainly go down in history.
 
Of course, we know Cleveland is a significant chapter in that important story.
 
The RNC may be long gone, but the event will continue to live on in Cleveland for generations to come.
 
This week, we're getting our first look at some of the political artifacts that were collected during the Republican National Convention.
 
On the list is everything from confetti to credentials.
 
Margaret Roulett was in charge of gathering RNC gear for the Cleveland History Center.
 
"It was a really interesting collecting mission," said Roulett.
 
Interns rounded up as much as they could carry back to the center.
 
A delegate from Texas, who used to live in Bay Village, dropped off some of the confetti and balloons that fell from the ceiling of the Q when Donald Trump formally accepted the nomination for president.
 
"He knew we existed here at the History Center and he wanted this stuff to be a part of history," said Roulett.
 
Buttons are a political staple, and dozens of them from the RNC will join thousands of others at the history center, which is home to the largest political button collection in the country.
 
"They're just visually really stimulating. There's a lot of red, white and blue," added Roulett.
 
At the end of the day, this collection is not only about preserving Cleveland's history, but also improving your political experience.
 
"Make it a little more relevant for everyone," said Roulett.