As voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday and exercise their right to choose their preferred candidates, one Valley man is reflecting on the meaning of a day of civic duty.
Ray Edwards, a former Valley councilman and longtime political campaign worker, has built a museum in Valley filled with political memorabilia spanning nearly 60 years.
“I started collecting memorabilia when I was 18 years old,” Edwards said. “My grandfather was chairman of the Talladega County Republican Party in Sylacauga, and that’s where I became interested in politics. I worked for George Wallace when he ran for governor, and I was on his campaign staff when he ran for president. I also worked on U.S. Congressman Bill Nichols’ campaign.”
An avid button collector and member of the National Button Society, Edwards has assembled campaign buttons and keepsakes from elections featuring candidates from John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and President Donald Trump.
His collection offers a glimpse into the nation’s political past—a vivid timeline of campaigns and candidates that, Edwards says, is unforgettable.
