The pink ribbon is known internationally as a symbol for breast-cancer awareness. Since its conception, the symbol's use has become pervasive. It has been worn on clothing, used on bumper stickers and placed as a logo on products whose companies donate a portion of their proceeds to breast-cancer research and treatment.
Background
In 1979, Penney Laingen tied yellow ribbons around the trees in her yards as a sign of her eagerness for her husband, who had been taken hostage in Iran, to be returned home. Although she was important in turning ribbons into a symbol of awareness, she was inspired by the 1973 song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree," which referenced the use of yellow ribbons worn by women to show devotion to someone in the U.S. Cavalry and encouraged others to use the yellow ribbon to show their longing for absent loved ones. The symbol of the yellow ribbon was taken up by many in solidarity with Laingen, and then later used for soldiers fighting in the Gulf War. In 1990, AIDS activists took inspiration from this to create a red ribbon, and the idea quickly spread to other diseases.
First Use
The first known use of pink ribbons in association with breast cancer was in the fall of 1991. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which had previously been giving out pink visors to participants that had survived breast cancer, gave out pink ribbons to all the participants in their Race for the Cure. This event, however, did not spark the mass use of the symbol.
Peach Ribbons
Sixty-eight-year-old Charlotte Haley, who saw three close family members struggle with breast cancer, was producing thousands of handmade peach-colored ribbons in her dining room by early 1992. Her ribbons were accompanied by a card that read: "The National Cancer Institute annual budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon." She distributed the ribbons in her local grocery store and wrote to prominent women, allowing the campaign to spread by word of mouth.
Pink Ribbons
Independently of Charlotte Haley's campaign, Alexandra Penney had a similar idea while working as editor on Self magazine's issue for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She thought of creating a ribbon for breast cancer and asking cosmetic companies to distribute it in stores in New York City. Evelyn Lauder, who had been a guest editor on the previous Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue and was a vice president of cosmetics company Estée Lauder, promised to spread the campaign across the country. After reading about the peach ribbons, the two approached Haley, but she wasn't interested in working with them. Penney and Lauder's lawyers suggested that they go ahead with the campaign by choosing a different color. They chose pink.
Popularity
More than 1.5 million pink ribbons were given out at makeup counters that fall alone. The symbol quickly spread internationally and to other media and has remained prevalent for years.
Tags: Breast Cancer, breast cancer, pink ribbons, Awareness Month, Breast Cancer Awareness
