A new exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History features HRC’s iconic red logo at a rally outside the Supreme Court of the United States in support of marriage equality in April 2015.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History’s new exhibit entitled “American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith,” explores “what happens when a people decide to abandon a monarchy and will examine the history of citizen participation, debate and compromise needed to make the ideal of popular sovereignty a reality.”

Featured in this exhibit are pictures and a poster from a rally on April 28, 2015 -- the day that the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from the historic case Obergefell v. Hodges, which eventually brought marriage equality to all 50 states.

“What you’re going to see in this exhibit is a combination of national treasures as well as everyday objects,” said Harry Rubenstein, Chair and Curator, Division of Political History, National Museum of American History. “Buttons, posters, protest signs, campaign buttons. This is really what American democracy looks like.”

In late March 2013, as the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing arguments in two marriage equality cases, HRC shared a red version of its logo – selected because the color is synonymous with love - on Facebook and Twitter and asked supporters to change their profile photos to show their support.

The HRC red logo campaign went viral, and celebrities such as George Takei, Beyonce, Martha Stewart and others helped draw attention to the movement. Millions of people shared the logo, countless memes were created in response, and Facebook saw a 120 percent increase in profile photo updates. The Internet was awash in red and displayed the growing support for marriage equality in the U.S. and the world and was brought back in 2015 to celebrate marriage equality once again.

HRC is honored to be a part of the exhibit and looks forward to spreading the message of love and equality with visitors at the museum from around the globe.

HRC’s logo is one of the most recognizable symbols of the LGBTQ community. It has become synonymous with the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. Learn more about its symbolism here.