Take a look at Ringo Starr's left lapel in this pic, published recently on the Meet the Beatles For Real photo site. Looks like a peace symbol, right? But this is the very early 1960s -- pretty early for a peace symbol, even though Ringo looks like a hippie with that scraggly beard.
But (as is noted in the comments to the post) it's not a peace symbol -- at least not yet, but a sign of support for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, then very active in Britain. It was only a few years later that the symbol came to represent the broader anti-war movement.
It would be interesting to learn how the button ended up on Ringo's jacket. Did he just like the look, or was he a supporter of the campaign? In 1964 interviews, the Beatles' drummer speaks passionately about the futility of war -- especially the nuclear variety. Could it be at least one of the Beatles was politically engaged earlier than commonly realized?
But (as is noted in the comments to the post) it's not a peace symbol -- at least not yet, but a sign of support for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, then very active in Britain. It was only a few years later that the symbol came to represent the broader anti-war movement.
It would be interesting to learn how the button ended up on Ringo's jacket. Did he just like the look, or was he a supporter of the campaign? In 1964 interviews, the Beatles' drummer speaks passionately about the futility of war -- especially the nuclear variety. Could it be at least one of the Beatles was politically engaged earlier than commonly realized?
Comments
Post a Comment