HISTORY OF THE AIDS RIBBON

The history of the symbolic use of ribbons dates back a long time: in Europe people in mourning have often worn black ribbons around their arms. The red AIDS ribbon, which is worn as a pin, is a symbol that was introduced by VISUAL AIDS, a group from New York, in the late 1980s. Overuse of the AIDS Ribbon symbol during many social occasions and show business events seems to have taken from the original powerful symbolic meaning of this little red ribbon. A sculpture such as the AIDS Memorial Sculpture may help in returning the original meaning to the symbol - and would certainly make its meaning even more well known.

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