Awareness ribbon
Encyclopedia
Yellow ribbon
Yellow ribbon
The yellow ribbon is used for various symbolic purposes. It is often worn on one's person or tied around a tree in one's front yard.- Earliest Evidence unearthed at Pompeii :...
s, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, are used to show that a close family member is abroad in military service. In Russia, Belarus and other countries of the former USSR gold and black striped ribbons are used to celebrate the Allies' victory in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(9 May).
Of the uses of ribbons to draw awareness to health issues, perhaps the best-known is the red ribbon
Red ribbon
The red ribbon, as an awareness ribbon colored red, has several different meanings in different contexts. Foremost, it is the symbol of solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS.-Awareness symbol:...
for support of those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Other health and social concerns which have adopted coloured ribbons include Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
(purple), Breast Cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
(pink), bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
(green), and brain disorder or disability (silver).
Political use of ribbons include red ribbons worn to commemorate the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
(7 November) in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and orange ribbons in the Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
in Ukraine.
Other ornaments, including flowers (of specific kinds), bracelets and badges may serve essentially the same purpose of drawing attention to a cause. These include poppies
Poppies
Poppies can refer to:*Poppy - the plant*The Poppies - multiple uses*"Poppies", a song by Patti Smith Group from their 1976 album Radio Ethiopia*"Poppies", the first track on the debut album by Marcy Playground....
, rosettes
Rosette (decoration)
A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...
and wristband
Wristband
Wristbands are encircling strips worn on the wrist, made from a variety of materials depending on the purpose. The term can be used to refer to the bracelet-like band of a wristwatch, to the cuff or other part of a sleeve that covers the wrist, or to decorative or functional bands worn on the wrist...
s.
History
The first ribbon that was represented as a meaningful object in history was the yellow ribbonYellow ribbon
The yellow ribbon is used for various symbolic purposes. It is often worn on one's person or tied around a tree in one's front yard.- Earliest Evidence unearthed at Pompeii :...
that was mentioned in a marching song, which was sung by the military in the United States. In the year 1917 George A. Norton copyrighted the song for the first time. The title of the song was "Round Her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon". In the 1940s the song was rewritten by several musicians.
In the early 1970s the song Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree was released, and based on this song, a wife of a hostage in Iran, Penney Laingen, was the first who used the ribbon as an awareness symbol. She tied yellow ribbons around trees, to illustrate desire for her husband coming home. Her friends and family members followed the trend due to loyalty. As all Americans were able to see this message, the "ribbon became a medium".
In May 1986 the AIDS Faith Alliance, later to be known as Christian Action on AIDS, held an open conference on AIDS at Notting Hill Gate in London, supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and other United Kingdom Christian church leaders. Rainbow Ribbons were given to everybody attending. Following the conference, Rainbow Ribbons were widely circulated not only in the United Kingdom, but throughout the Christian world. The purpose of Christian Action on AIDS, an official Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
charity whose founder/chairman was Barnaby Miln
Barnaby Miln
Barnaby Miln is a social activist and former British magistrate. He is best known as the originator of the AIDS Awareness ribbon, World AIDS day, and for promoting Fairtrade fortnight and the Jubilee 2000 human chain around the G8 leaders...
, was to get the worldwide Christian churches involved in the crisis that was AIDS. The churches rapidly got involved allowing Christian Action on AIDS to fold in 1991.
In the 1990s, AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
activists were inspired by the ribbon medium, and decided to make ribbons for the people that fight against AIDS. The ribbon that represents AIDS became red as this is the color of passion. During the Tony awards, a photo was taken of the actor Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
, who had the bright red ribbon
Red ribbon
The red ribbon, as an awareness ribbon colored red, has several different meanings in different contexts. Foremost, it is the symbol of solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS.-Awareness symbol:...
pinned on his chest. As the public followed the awards, the ribbon was an eye catcher and became popular overnight. The year 1992 was declared by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as "The year of the Ribbon".