American Propaganda Imagery: Yesterday Through Tomorrow: American Social Issues Expressed Through Pr

American Propaganda Imagery: Yesterday Through Tomorrow American Social Issues Expressed Through Propaganda Imagery

Zofia Poczatek Junior Division Historical Paper Paper Length: 2495 words

1 Introduction Have you ever stopped in your tracks to look at an image? Were you even captivated or mesmerized by it? Perhaps it was due to the image’s vibrant colors or intriguing textual or graphic elements. You were likely looking at a piece of propaganda imagery. Propaganda is a communication tool that is primarily used to manipulate an audience and further an agenda.

Within a vast range of fashions used to convey propaganda messages are posters, which always parallel historical events and use various strategies to influence people’s behavior. For example, throughout our country’s history, war posters gathered support for the war and helped with recruitment efforts, political campaign posters helped take one’s campaign to the streets and similarly, recent COVID-19 Pandemic posters reflect our current social struggles. You may not realize it, but a great deal of thought goes into designing propaganda posters, and throughout American history, “regardless of their themes, posters [spoke and speak] a common language.

They share a vocabulary and techniques that recur through decades of changing purposes.”1

History of Propaganda and Introduction of Poster as a Medium Although the term “propaganda” was coined in the United States in the early 1900s, the notion has been used throughout history for almost 3,000 years. As historian Ralph D. Casey put it, “the battle for men’s minds is as old as human history.”2 Since approximately 800 B. C. E., leaders have communicated using propaganda to drive populations towards a common mode of thinking.3 Propaganda then was, obviously, not in the form of printed posters as printing presses were not invented yet.

1

Nelson, “The Posters that Won the War.” Pg. 5.

Casey, “The Story of Propaganda.”

3 Jowett and O’ Donnell, “Propaganda and Persuasion.” Pg. 51.

2

2 Ancient Greeks managed to use art to project their ideologies onto large groups. This advanced in the form of games, theater, assemblies, courts, and religious festivals.4 Furthermore, handwritten pamphlets circulated, and sufficed. They continuously persuaded minds while great temples and monuments became icons of propaganda and “significant symbols of the power of the state.”5 After the invention of the printing press in 1440, a colossal turning point in propaganda and persuasion occurred. Leaders could now spread their thoughts to the masses much quicker.

For instance, during the period of the Spanish Armada (1588)—which was a factor of a deliberate invasion of England by King Philip II of Spain—both King Philip and Queen Elizabeth of England organized their populations to believe that the other side was the aggressor.6 For this purpose, they used malicious and defamatory printed and written materials such as pamphlets and letters.

As far as the actual word “propaganda”, its first appearance was in the year 1622, in relation to the missionary activities of the Catholic Church. The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith was a group of Catholic cardinals recruited by Pope Gregory XV to spread the Catholic doctrine.7 It was during this time in which the connotation of the word “propaganda” was still positive. It wasn’t until later that the word morphed into a concept with often dishonest and subversive associations.

As we move down the timeline about 200 years, enter American history, and take a stop in the 19th century, the Mexican War has approached. The main cause of the war was the westward expansion of the United States. Journalists of newspapers in territories under American

4

“History of American Propaganda Posters: American Social Issues through Propaganda.” Norwich University Online.

5 Jowett and O’ Donnell, “Propaganda and Persuasion.” Pg. 51.

6 Casey, “The Story of Propaganda.”

7 Ibid

3 occupation leveraged propaganda by describing the brutal reality of the war in an effort to convince Mexican residents to accept U. S. terms of peace. The dispute finally ended with Mexico ceding 55 percent of its territory to the United States.8 A myriad of sources can act as propaganda— from monumental structures, to performing arts, to handwritten letters or printed newspaper articles. Posters, as a medium of disseminating information and propaganda, became commonplace in the early 1900s. This is chiefly because of their use of imagery and words to convey ideas, as well as their ability to compress multiple ideas into a limited amount of space. They were also relatively cheap to produce and were able to be displayed just about anywhere from public buildings to schools to office spaces. This made them quite effective and reliable. Throughout American history, propaganda posters were both informational, persuasive, or a combination of the two, and they “announced, exhorted, scolded and amused. They instructed, guided and ordered.”9

War Propaganda Posters Given that posters offered such a great opportunity to spread information, they were predisposed to become the favorable propaganda instrument of war. Posters were not only important to the waging of the war but the time of war became a milestone in the history of the propaganda poster itself.10 During both WWI and WWII, posters were used to recruit men to join the armed forces, recruit women to work in the factories, encourage citizens to save food, and overall garner support for the war effort.

8

“History of American Propaganda Posters: American Social Issues through Propaganda.” Norwich University Online.

9 Nelson, “The Posters that Won the War.” Pg. 5.

10 Winter, “Picture This: World War I Posters and Visual Culture.” Pg. 5.

4 One of the most quintessential, paradigmatic and permanent examples of American iconography is the I Want You for U. S. Army (Appendix Fig. 1) Uncle Sam propaganda poster, commissioned by the U. S. Army’s recruitment campaign in 1917, and brought to life by artist James Montgomery Flagg. Flagg’s masterpiece serves as a symbol of patriotism, and Uncle Sam is a personification of the government of the United States. James M. Flagg may have been what you’d call today, a “trendsetter”—posters rapidly became an immensely popular medium to propagate information after the surfacing of the Uncle Sam poster. Within a week, the poster cropped up 4 million times throughout the United States; one could bet that every American citizen had seen it.11 The poster crafted by Flagg holds a focal point of Uncle Sam waving his finger at the viewer. It compels the viewer to feel as though he is talking directly to them. The poster has a positive connotation which encourages and inspires, and it did for two World Wars in a row! It was revived in 1941, and was just as effective. It was such a massive success overall that it continues to “pop up again and again in popular culture today.”12 Another common theme among American war posters was the promotion of war bonds for helping to fund the war itself. An example of one such poster was from 1917 titled You Buy a Liberty Bond Lest I Perish, (Appendix Fig. 2) printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office.13 The image is reminiscent of Uncle Sam from James Montgomery Flagg’s famous artwork mentioned previously. Lady Liberty herself is captured in this illustration, the expression on her face somewhat intimidating, yet also displaying her pleading to the U. S. citizens because they are her last hope. War posters like this and many others elicit a strong emotion within you, and may even tug at your heartstrings.14 They made emotional appeals to patriotic citizens and were

11

Hasic, “Why Propaganda Is More Dangerous in the Digital Age.” Ibid 13 Macaulay, “You Buy A Liberty Bond. Lest I Perish.”

14 Hasic, “Why Propaganda Is More Dangerous in the Digital Age.” 12

5 quite successful at doing so—the myriad of bond posters surfacing during WWI raised over $17 billion.15 During WWII following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the U. S. was a bastion for the manufacturing of large amounts of war goods. The atmosphere at large factories, however, was often tense because of animosity that built between management and labor unions throughout the 1930s.16 It was in 1943, when another type of iconic war poster was produced. It was titled We Can Do It! (Appendix Fig. 3) and was commissioned by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, and designed by artist J. Howard Miller.17 Its purpose was to encourage and inspire women to help with the war endeavor. American women entered the workforce in extraordinary amounts during WWII, as widespread enlistment of men left vast vacancies in the labor force.18 The optimistic image of “Rosie the Riveter” also served as gentle propaganda to boost employee morale and keep production from falling behind. The female portrayed in the image is a strong woman shown flexing her muscles to prove she is just as capable for the job as her male counterpart. The poster was rediscovered four decades later; it could be said to have made even more waves in the vigorous feminist movement in the 1970s and 80s than when it originally came to light.19 For years J. Howard Miller’s We Can Do It! poster motivated the feminist cause and continues to do so even today.

Political Campaign Posters

15

“History of American Propaganda Posters: American Social Issues through Propaganda.” Norwich University Online.

16 Bird and Rubenstein, “Design for Victory: World War II posters on the American home front.” Pg. 58 17 Miller, “We Can Do It!” 18 “History of American Propaganda Posters: American Social Issues through Propaganda.” Norwich University Online.

19 Bird and Rubenstein, “Design for Victory: World War II posters on the American home front.” Pg. 58

6 Similarly to how war posters influenced public opinion, political campaign posters try to appeal to and persuade the public; in some ways even more so. These political posters always seem to have one thing in common— their message. “‘Every generation renews the battle and fights it again’—sometimes literally.”20 Politicians crave attention and want their campaign to be relevant, contemporary, and provoke curiosity. Graphic posters with strong visual appeal have assisted politicians for decades.

In the year 1896, William McKinkey ran for U.S. President. Subsequently, he was elected and was incumbent from 1897 until 1901. Could his campaign poster (Appendix Fig. 4) have sealed the deal? With the 1896 poster commissioned by the Northwestern Lithographing Company, McKinley exposes his strong advocacy for protective tariffs, and displays how important it is to him that America maintains a healthy economy.21 In his campaign poster he is shown holding the U. S. Flag and standing on a gold coin representing his support for the gold standard.22 “Prosperity at Home” and “Prestige Abroad” are interchangeable but equally important. “Commerce” is represented by ships in the midground of the image. “Civilization” is represented by drawings of soldiers, businessmen, farmers, and other members of the liberal party in the foreground. And in the background, a huge, dare one say throbbing sun shines behind William McKinley. The phrases “prosperity”, “prestige”, “commerce” as well as “civilization” all appear on the poster because they were prominent themes for McKinley’s campaign.

In contrast to William McKinley’s outmoded yet indispensable poster, there is Robert F. Kennedy’s Bobby Is My Choice in '68 (Appendix Fig. 5) poster. “Bobby” was a challenger to incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson in the primary election for president in 1968. Even after

20

Battisoni and Gladstone, “Posters: 180 Years of American Campaign Propaganda.”

Northwestern Lithographing Company, “Prosperity at Home, Prestige Abroad.”

22 Battisoni and Gladstone, “Posters: 180 Years of American Campaign Propaganda.”

21

7 Johnson announced he did not seek re-election, Kennedy faced two rival candidates in the Democratic Party.23 In an attempt to appeal to young voters, several interesting and stylish psychedelic campaign posters of Kennedy were created and dispensed. The Bobby is My Choice in ‘68 piece was one of them. The poster was visually reminiscent of the mid-1960s psychedelic art movement which had an effect on many aspects of popular culture of the time. Bobby’s caricature face floats in the center of the image in front of groovy and vibrant patterns.

Kennedy’s campaign poster, surprisingly, is void of any political context albeit his campaign focused strongly on crucial domestic issues such as poverty, corruption, as well as racial inequality .24 Young people at the time could be said to have been disillusioned and impersonal to politics—but why not vote for someone whose marketing team put out some really fabulous and unorthodox posters?25 Kennedy actually made a lot of progress in building Democratic support for his nomination—perhaps due to the trendy posters—but sadly he was assassinated on June 5, 1968.

Another eye-catching political poster worth mentioning was that of President Barack Obama from 2007, titled Go Tell Mama! I'm For Obama (Appendix Fig. 6). This poster served as an unofficial nod to Obama’s political campaign for president. Obama is illustrated in the foreground of the image and the background is full of everyday citizens carrying signs and microphones with messages of Obama's ideologies. The U. S. official slogan, "E pluribus unum" is plastered at the top of the piece representing the idea that Obama is the ultimate symbol of the United States, since the slogan directly comes from the country's Great Seal. Chicago street artist Ray Noland created this poster along with some others as part of a series. Go Tell Mama! shows

23

Ellis and Smith, “Campaign ‘68.”

Ibid 25 Battisoni and Gladstone, “Posters: 180 Years of American Campaign Propaganda.”

24

8 how community organization can be used to spread advertising and constitute a political group.26 It certainly shows how everyone can make an impact and that sometimes the grassroots are the key.

COVID-19 Pandemic Posters During the COVID-19 pandemic, posters—often digital—have popped up that similarly disperse information and reflect our current societal struggles. Pandemic awareness posters of today promote shelter-in-place guidelines, mask wearing, hand washing, and other safe practices.

One example of such a poster is Angel of Hope and Strength (Appendix Fig. 7) by Shepard Fairey which was created to celebrate the fortitude and altruism of healthcare and essential workers. Fairey has created works honoring the healthcare workers with collaboration with the nonprofit design lab Amplifier, which has commissioned artists to create public-health and safety messages as part of a COVID-19 campaign.27 Fairey’s poster symbolizes the "spirit of hope, strength, compassion, and resilience" as described by the artist himself. The image is innately painted in teals and blues coupled with red details, symbolizing patriotism, maybe the most important theme here. It displays a healthcare worker whose pose, aura, and mien parallel that of the Statue of Liberty. The worker holds a torch which symbolizes enlightenment. The imagery and motifs used in this poster are meant to teach us to honor our heroic frontline workers.

Another exceptional example of a COVID-19 pandemic poster was actually inspired by a piece mentioned earlier, one previously omnipresent back in wartime: James Montgomery Flagg’s I Want You war recruitment poster. Painted by Sylvia Bueltel, Quarantine in Time Saves

26 27

Battisoni and Gladstone, “Posters: 180 Years of American Campaign Propaganda.”

Bellinetti, “WWII Propaganda Inspires COVID Hygiene Posters.”

9 Nine (Appendix Fig. 8) is a clever pastiche—“The Uncle Sam in her poster is decidedly gentler and more encouraging than the stern, finger-pointing version of 1917.”28 In the image, rather than pleading for you to go out and help with war, he pleads for you to display your allegiance for America by staying in, and in turn, staying safe and indirectly saving lives.

Most of today’s propaganda is created digitally or perhaps has even been replaced by alternate digital visuals, such as the meme, and albeit this, they are mass-circulated and often politically focused, similar to historical tactile posters. Furthermore, “...the new political art format has far greater viral potential than the posters of yesteryear.

Instead of just government-commissioned posters, any figure, domestic or international, with a political agenda can reach a mass audience with weaponized symbols, images and digital art to advance a political cause.”29 While today’s mediums provide options via social media, the ability to communicate a critical message to a wide range of people, as propaganda posters have done so historically, remains the same.

Conclusion A vast range of methods, materials and mediums have been used throughout history for communicating propaganda messages. As new technologies have been invented and became available, so did the methods of manipulation. Posters—vibrant, inexpensive, direct—surfaced as an ideal medium for delivering messages to the masses while fulfilling the goals of their creators. Even though posters generally have been relegated to movie theaters or college dorm rooms, many of the principles used in American propaganda posters of the World Wars or historical political campaigns still exist in the imagery of today. The next time you see an image

28 29

Hill, “Artist Finds Inspiration in War Propaganda for COVID-19 'Stay In' Posters.”

Hasic, “Why Propaganda Is More Dangerous in the Digital Age.”

10 that catches your attention, makes you curious, or causes you to rethink something, know that that was the intended purpose.

11

Appendix Fig. 1

Flagg, James Montgomery. I Want You for U. S. Army: Nearest Recruiting Station.

1917. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 96507165.

Fig. 2

Macaulay, Charles R. You Buy a Liberty Bond. Lest I Perish. Get behind the Government. Liberty Loan of 1917. 1917. Series: World War I Posters, 1917 1919 Record Group 4: Records of the U.S. Food Administration, 1917 - 1920, National Archives, College Park, MD 20740-6001, MS 512670.

12 Fig. 3

Miller, J. Howard, and Westinghouse Electric Co. We Can Do It! 1942. Series: War Production Board, 1942 - 1943 Record Group 179: Records of the War Production Board, 1918 - 1947, National Archives, College Park, MD 20740-6001, MS 535413.

Fig. 4

Northwestern Lithographing Company. Prosperity at Home, Prestige Abroad. 1896.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 2002719195.

13 Fig. 5

Posters, Inc., 1967, Holyoke, Mass. Bobby Is My Choice in '68.

1967. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540, MS 2012646782.

Fig. 6

Noland, Ray. Go Tell Mama! I'm For Obama. 2007. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 2011648614.

14 Fig. 7

Fairey, Shepard, and Amplifier. Angel of Hope and Strength. May 2020.

Fig. 8

Bueltel, Sylvia. Quarantine in Time SAVES NINE. Apr. 2020.

15

Annotated Bibliography Primary Sources

Bueltel, Sylvia. Quarantine in Time SAVES NINE. Apr. 2020.

This image/painting was created by a Chicago artist Sylvia Bueltel who chose to use her artistic abilities to help bring awareness about staying safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Bueltel was actually inspired by propaganda posters, in particular war propaganda posters, and she has created an entire series of images to promote shelter-in-place guidelines and mask wearing. It is obvious that this image was inspired by the omnipresent wartime poster by James Montgomery Flagg. In Sylvia's version, Uncle Sam is not pleading for Americans to go out and help with the war, but instead he pleads for us to stay inside and, in turn, safe lives. I found it very interesting that the artist chose similar and familiar motifs to communicate an entirely new critical message to the public. I will be discussing this painting in the section of my research paper devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic posters of today.

This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 8" of my research paper.

Casey, Ralph D. "The Story of Propaganda." What Is Propaganda?, Washington, D. C., United States Government Publishing Office, 1944. War Department Education Manual; G. I. Roundtable Series EM 2.

16 In this source, the author discusses the history of propaganda and the notion that propaganda is not a new or modern concept. We learn about propaganda usage during the ancient times (ancient Greek civilization) through 16th century England, the World Wars and finally during the modern times. Furthermore, we learn about the origins of the actual term "propaganda" which apparently was first coined as late as the 19th century and first came to be used in Europe as part of the Catholic church's spreading of the faith. In my research paper, I plan on devoting an entire section to the history of propaganda (along with the introduction of the poster as a medium of propaganda) because I believe that it is important to provide my readers a contextual background to be able to better understand the overall concept of propaganda and its growth. It shows that for thousands of years there had to have been so many measures of action before the contemporary idea of propaganda was achieved and had been inserted into everyone's brain. I will be using information included in this source as a foundation for this section of my paper.

Fairey, Shepard, and Amplifier. Angel of Hope and Strength. May 2020.

This poster by Shepard Fairey was created to celebrate the courage of healthcare and essential workers during our current COVID-19 pandemic. It symbolizes the "spirit of hope, strength, compassion, and resilience" as described by the artist himself. The artwork involves a healthcare worker painted in teals and blues (patriotic), and her pose and aura parallel that of the statue of liberty. She holds a torch which symbolizes enlightenment. Overall these various elements of the imagery used, are meant to teach us to honor our heroic frontline workers. Fairey has created works honoring the healthcare workers with collaboration with the nonprofit design lab

17 Amplifier. Amplifier has been commissioning artists to create public-health and safety messages as part of a COVID-19 campaign. I am using this poster among other examples in my essay section devoted to the COVID-19 posters of today and how their designs were inspired by the war posters of the past. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 7" of my research paper.

Flagg, James Montgomery. I Want You for U. S. Army: Nearest Recruiting Station. 1917. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 96507165.

This poster was commissioned by the U. S. Army's recruitment campaign. It served as a symbol of patriotism, and Uncle Sam is a personification of the government of the United States. The artist reinterpreted the image of Uncle Sam, who was previously portrayed as an old idle man, into an active authoritarian. The focal point is his waving index finger which compels the viewer to feel as though he is talking directly to them. The scope of the poster's surfacing was simple. To encourage men to enlist in the army. Within a week of the poster surfacing across the country, just about everyone had seen it—four million copies were printed initially. I think without this iconic poster, the U. S. would be absolutely different. It has a positive connotation which inspires and encourages, and it did for two World Wars in a row! When it was revived in 1941 it was just as effective as more than two decades before. For all the above reasons, I am using it in my research. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 1" of my research paper.

18 Macaulay, Charles R. You Buy a Liberty Bond. Lest I Perish. Get behind the Government. Liberty Loan of 1917. 1917. Series: World War I Posters, 1917 - 1919 Record Group 4: Records of the U.S. Food Administration, 1917 - 1920, National Archives, College Park, MD 20740-6001, MS 512670.

This poster was printed by the U. S. Government Printing Office. During World War I it was very important for the U.S. to keep the war funded so many posters were created promoting the purchase of war bonds. People were inspired to purchase bonds through this poster campaign by the image of Lady Liberty, reminiscent of Uncle Sam from James Montgomery Flagg's famous image. The expression on Lady Liberty's face in this illustration is somewhat intimidating, but also displays her pleading to the citizens because they are her last hope. War bond posters like this and many others made emotional appeals to patriotic citizens and counted on citizens' sense of pride and support as a whole for their country. Ads of this kind were actually quite successful in driving funding and raised more than $17 billion. I will be using this poster in my essay among other World War I and II posters featuring them as examples of propaganda centered toward an idea of American pride for the country. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 2" of my research paper.

Miller, J. Howard, and Westinghouse Electric Co. We Can Do It! 1942. Series: War Production Board, 1942 - 1943 Record Group 179: Records of the War Production Board, 1918 1947, National Archives, College Park, MD 20740-6001, MS 535413.

American women entered the workforce in extraordinary amounts during World War II, as widespread enlistment of men left vast vacancies in the labor force. This poster

19 features "Rosie the Riveter", a symbol for industrious, empowering women. The purpose of the actual image depicted in the poster, however, was to encourage and inspire women to work for the munitions industry and help with the war effort when men were gone (implying women would go back to being homemakers after the war). This incentive-to-work poster was commissioned by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, and it was designed by artist J. Howard Miller.

The poster was only briefly displayed in their factories. The female portrayed in the image is a strong woman shown flexing her muscles to prove she is just as capable for the job as her male counterpart. This poster initially made for propaganda made waves in the U. S. workforce and motivated the feminist cause for many years to come. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 3" of my research paper.

Noland, Ray. Go Tell Mama! I'm For Obama. 2007. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 2011648614.

This poster is only a little over a decade old. America continues to use propaganda to influence and manipulate peoples' thinking, and stir their emotions. Artist Ray Noland created this poster as an unofficial nod to Barack Obama's political campaign for president. In the image, Obama is illustrated in the foreground and the background is full of common people carrying signs and microphones with messages of Obama's ideologies. It shows how community organization can be used to constitute a political group and spread advertising! Furthermore, it was a Chicago street artist who had been rallying the population to back Obama. It really shows how ordinary people can make an impact. The U. S. official slogan, "E pluribus unum" is plastered at the top of the piece representing the idea that

20 Obama is the ultimate symbol of the United States, since the slogan directly comes from the country's Great Seal. I will use this poster in the section of my paper devoted to American political campaign propaganda. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 6" of my research paper.

Northwestern Lithographing Company. Prosperity at Home, Prestige Abroad. 1896. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C. 20540, MS 2002719195.

This poster is a 1896 presidential election poster for Republican William McKinley.

McKinley was the 25th president of the United States from 1897 until he was assassinated in 1901. McKinley emphasized strong currency and he was a strong advocate of protective tariffs. He believed that the United States should maintain a healthy economy. In his campaign poster he is shown holding the U.S. flag and standing on gold coin representing his support for the gold standard. He is backed by soldiers, businessman, farmers and other members of the liberal party.

Commerce is represented by the ships and "prosperity at home" means "prestige abroad". Slogans such as "Prosperity," "Commerce," as well as "Civilization" appear on the poster because they were prominent campaign themes for McKinley's campaign. I will be discussing this poster at the introduction to the section of my essay devoted to political campaign propaganda. Political campaign posters are important because with every generation and with every election the battle for the white house is renewed. This poster is very outmoded and probably the oldest primary source in my research. I feel that with every generation, new ideologies and

21 in turn new imageries are formed. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 4" of my research paper.

Trelease, Jim, and Posters, Inc., Holyoke, Mass. Bobby Is My Choice in '68. 1967. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540, MS 2012646782.

In 1968 Robert F. Kennedy was a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, along two rivals, Senator Eugene McCarthy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey.

President Lyndon B. Johnson decided not to run for re-election and Kennedy initially positioned himself in opposition to Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War. His campaign later shifted focus to other pivotal domestic issues such as corruption, organized crime, poverty and racial inequality. In the attempt to increase Kennedy's appeal among young voters, this unorthodox poster surfaced during Kennedy's campaign. The poster was visually reminiscent of the mid-1960s psychedelic art movement which had an effect on many aspects of popular culture of the time.

Bobby's grotesquely exaggerated face floats in the center of the image in front of groovy and vibrant patterns. What is missing is any kind of political reference, even though there were many critical issues that Kennedy advocated for. This visually adventurous political campaign poster was definitely memorable but we will never know how effective it might have been because Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968. I will be discussing this poster in the section of my research paper devoted to the political campaign posters. This image can be seen in "Appendix Fig. 5" of my research paper.

22

Secondary Sources

Battistoni, Alyssa. "Posters: 180 Years of American Campaign Propaganda." Mother Jones, 6 Apr. 2012. Mother Jones, www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/04/180-yearspresidential-campaign-posters-propaga nda/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.

This article is a great visual resource for viewing and learning about a variety of American Campaign Propaganda posters from the early days of the republic—such as early presidential campaigns of William McKinley or Teddy Roosevelt—to the modern times— such as the reelection campaign of Ronald Reagan or presidential campaign of Barack Obama. The collection of imagery included in this article shows how we can find a common thread among all the political campaign posters. We learn that although the imagery and graphics or the subject matter changes, the purpose of the message is the same among all of the campaign posters. The common message by the politicians campaigning is to appeal to the public and to persuade the public to give them their vote. This is definitely a form of propaganda and I will be devoting an entire section of my research paper to political campaign posters.

Bellinetti, Caterina. "WWII Propaganda Inspires COVID Hygiene Posters." Art and Object, edited by Jeremy Howell, Journalistic, Inc., 6 May 2020, www.artandobject.com/news/wwii-propaganda-inspires-covid-hygiene-posters. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021.

23 This article contains a collection of visual images by various artists who have taken inspiration from war-like situations and decided to contribute to the COVID-19 awareness campaigns in a similar way. During both World Wars, governments were appealing to the civic duty of the people to help with the war effort, save resources or buy state bonds, and generally spawn social change. During the recent pandemic, social change is brought about by health guidelines and people are being asked to limit the infection by staying inside, wearing masks, washing hands, and the like. It is shown that victory really is achieved at home—after all, doesn't everyone like to sit in their pajamas and watch television? In my paper, I discuss one of the images showcased in this article and, for the purpose of my analysis, I use the provided background information.

Bird, William L., Jr., and Harry R. Rubenstein. Design for Victory : World War II Posters on the American Home Front. New York, NY, Princeton Architectural Press, 1998.

This book contains a splendid collection of full-color World War II era posters which all focus on the theme of wartime production on the homefront for the purpose of raising funds for the war. A variety of designs and images—images which lampoon yet inform, universally understood, replaced written wording very quickly during this time—are featured as well as informative text to accompany them, of course.

The authors actually include information on how specific posters were designed and they share stories behind the production of the graphics themselves. For my research, I am using the information in this book pertaining, in particular, to the uneasy relations between labor and management during the 1930s and 40s. The book shows how that turmoil influenced wartime advertising in general and the

24 need to create a method of communication, via posters, as a way to boost employee morale during the period of heightened production. Most of all, these posters mobilized the United States as a whole. In my paper I am specifically using this source in the section about wartime propaganda posters, especially the section on gentle propaganda to boost employee morale, and it was interesting to learn about the "Rosie the Riveter" poster's predecessor, "Together We Can Do It!".

Boyd, Natalie. "Now and Then: American Propaganda and Protest Posters." Print Magazine, 23 Feb. 2017. Print Magazine, www.printmag.com/post/now-then-american-propaganda-posters. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

This article brings to light the differences and similarities of propaganda advertisements concerning many topics from the World War I era versus now. The moods and tones of the posters are very different; some even regard diametrically opposed opinions on similar subject matters. It really shows how our country has changed. For example, an immigration poster from the 1910s-1920s talks about how it is the Americans' "civic duty to report all illegal aliens", but there is another poster from 2009 praising illegal immigration reform. The article also shows Liberty and Justice posters, posters about Women's Rights and many more. This article helps me with my research because it contains a collection of many primary sources. I also like how the author focuses a good deal on the design aspect of the posters, and the way posters have evolved over a century, whether they portray the same themes or not.

It's cool to compare and contrast.

25 Dunn, Mackenzie. "An Original 'Rosie the Riveter' Is Making Free Masks for Coronavirus."

Hello Giggles, edited by Rachel Simon, Meredith Beauty Group, 23 July 2020, hellogiggles.com/news/rosie-the-riveter-free-coronavirus-masks/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2021.

I found this article interesting because it mentions one of the nation's original "Rosie the Riveters'', Mae Krier, who was employed by Boeing in Seattle during World War II when she built bombers to help support the war effort. Now, the 94-year-old is supporting a different kind of battle we are fighting—the war on the COVID-19 virus. This time she is helping our country by designing and sewing face masks. Her masks are red with white polka-dots—a savvy pasticcio of the iconic polka-dotted bandanas that WWII "Rosies" used to wrap their hair with (this is so it wouldn't get tangled in the machinery they used to make supplies for the military serving overseas). Additionally, Mae is on a crusade to have the "Rosies" remembered for the service they gave in helping to win the dreadful war. Several senators have apparently introduced a bill to have the "Rosies" honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and Mae humbly hopes that soon the Senate will consider it. She believes that "it's important that we go down in history". The information from this article is useful to my research and in particular to my understanding of the iconic "Rosie the Riveter" image, the cause it stood for during WWII, its everlasting influence on the feminist movement and the fact that it can be revived, yet never grow cliché.

Hasic, Albinko. "Why Propaganda Is More Dangerous in the Digital Age." The Washington Post [Washington, D.C.], 12 Mar. 2019. The Washington Post,

26 www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/03/12/why-propaganda-is-more-dangerous-digit al-age/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2021.

This article discusses the idea that although propaganda posters of today might have been replaced, in the most part, by digital visuals, the mass-dissemination of information remains the same. One other key point being made in the article is that the new digital age medium of propaganda can actually do greater damage. This is because of the fact that it has the ability to reach a gargantuan audience much faster (as we know, memes can become viral very quickly through mass replication via gifs, YouTube videos, social media posts, etc...) and the real challenge becomes discerning fact from fiction. Virtually any individual can post and create a meme through this latest "incarnation of visual propaganda". I plan on touching upon this topic of digital visuals and digital propaganda of today towards the end of my research paper, merely as a way to end my discussion of the propaganda posters. I think it is important for me to compare and contrast the poster as a medium to the emergence of new technologies, such as the meme or digital imagery.

Hill, James. "Artist Finds Inspiration in War Propaganda for COVID-19 'Stay In' Posters." ABC News, ABC News Internet Ventures, 17 May 2020, abcnews.go.com/US/artist-finds-inspiration-war-propaganda-covid-19-stay/story?id=707 32034. Accessed 17 Feb. 2021. Editorial.

It is due to this article that I became familiar with a great young artist from Chicago who found herself out of work and, and like most adults, glued herself to the news as the new COVID-19 virus came about to threaten Americans in the spring of 2020. As she listened to our government declaring the war on the new virus, she decided to

27 contribute and use her artistic talents to help spread the word. The artist, Sylvia Bueltel, actually was inspired by propaganda posters, in particular war propaganda posters, and she set up a makeshift studio and began painting. Bueltel created an entire series of posters to promote shelter-in-place guidelines and mask wearing. I found it very interesting that the artist chose similar and familiar motifs to communicate an entirely new critical message to the public—almost like beneficial satire. I will be discussing her work in the section of my research paper devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic posters of today.

"History of American Propaganda Posters: American Social Issues through Propaganda."

Norwich University Online, Norwich University, 6 Oct. 2020, online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/history-of-american-propaganda.

Accessed 7 Dec. 2020. Infographic.

This article/infographic is a very accommodating source. It contains brief background information on the use of propaganda in general, and that there is always hidden propaganda among us, whether it's (the most conspicuous), posters—or other art forms, radio, commercials, etc. Actual propaganda imagery is a tool in which people manipulate to convey "thoughts, ideas, allegations or facts" for the public to see.

This source also takes me on a trip throughout history, and factchecks the common misconception that propaganda was invented during the World War I period. It actually was used over a thousand years ago, in Ancient Greece. This article from Norwich University also outlined propaganda usage and how it became commonplace in the United States beginning in the early 1900s. Several examples of

28 visual posters are defined and analyzed here, which provided me with a nice guide to follow with my own analysis in my essay.

Nelson, Derek. The Posters that Won the War. Osceola, Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, 1991.

This book is a great resource because it contains and describes about 150 of the most influential World War Two posters designed for war production, recruitment, bond drives, rationing, conservation, and propaganda purposes. All of which encouraged the people of America to do their part to assist with the war efforts. Millions of posters of distinctive designs were created and printed during WWII and this book contains many of them. World War II posters helped to rally the masses. They were inexpensive and easily accessible mediums for influencing every citizen to treat victory as their personal mission. Posters during WWII were issued by government agencies, businesses, and private organizations and they called upon every American to increase production at work and at home. This book, along with the posters themselves, includes descriptions and numerous articles and excerpts from various sources like national radio broadcasts and public addresses of the time. I will use this source especially when I discuss wartime posters but also as a reference to further understand the importance of propaganda and the way it was used toward a specific purpose.

Smith, Stephen, and Kate Ellis. "Robert F. Kennedy: The 82-Day Candidate." APM Reports, edited by Chris Worthington, Minnesota Public Radio, Oct. 2018, features.apmreports.org/arw/campaign68/a1.html. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021.

29 The 1968 presidential debate involved "a controversial war, fractious race relations, and the rising power of television". Robert F. Kennedy was a presidential candidate running against incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson, who later decided to not run for re-election, as well as two rival candidates for the Democratic Party: the leading challenger Senator Eugene McCarthy and Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Kennedy, unfortunately, was a candidate for only 82 days because he was untimely assassinated. He initially entered the race mostly to oppose Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War but his campaign soon shifted focus to crucial domestic issues such as corruption, organized crime, poverty and racial inequality. I am using this information in my paper in the section devoted to political campaign posters. I find it helpful to provide my readers with background/context information on Kennedy and his presidential campaign as I discuss his campaign poster which, interestingly enough, happens to miss any kind of political reference, perhaps a deliberate choice by Kennedy himself to stand clear of any controversy and simply to induce young people to vote for him!

Stokoe, Claire. "51 Powerful Propaganda Posters And The People Behind." Smashing Magazine, 13 June 2010. Smashing Magazine, www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/06/100-years-of-propaganda-the-good-the-bad-and-th e-ugly/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2020.

This article from Smashing Magazine provided me with something not many of my sources so far have, and that is the stories behind the actual artists of propaganda posters.

By reading this I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of propaganda throughout history. The article also painted an exceptional picture of what propaganda is. It

30 stated that propaganda is a mode of communication which strives to sway the thoughts of groups of people. Propaganda is created to be eye-catching, strike an internal alert within people, and have some sort of wow-factor, whether the propaganda is explicit or implicit regarding its cause. This article incredibly aids my research because of its variety of posters from other nations besides the U.S. like Germany, Russia, China, England, and Italy. I might even incorporate some of these posters in my final essay, if suitable.

Winter, Jay, et al. Picture This: World War I Posters and Visual Culture. Edited by Pearl James, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press.

This book is a great analysis of where the World War I posters fit into the social history of the 20th century. All nations produced full-color posters to rally the citizens to support the war efforts. This book is a visual history of not only World War I but war in general and how governments used posters to promote the war. There are 53 illustrations to promote the war included and a collection of essays on topics of national identity and the war, gender, race, education, history and propaganda. I believe this source is a helpful addition to my research especially because of the varied collection of illustrations that it contains which will allow me to make comparisons between the artwork I will be analyzing in my essay and the purpose it served. The sheer quantity of illustrations discussed in this book will give me an opportunity to better understand how posters of WWI influenced how populations viewed themselves and their activities.

31

Tertiary Sources

Jowett, Garth S., and Victoria O' Donnell. "Ancient Greece and Alexander the Great."

Propaganda and Persuasion, 7th ed., SAGE Publications, 1986, pp. 51-53.

I plan on devoting a small portion of my paper (at the beginning) to a short discussion of the history of propaganda in general. In this section of my research I plan on talking about the Ancient civilizations and in particular the Ancient Greeks followed by its usage in the 16th century and during the Mexican American War. It is during the time of Ancient Greece that differences of religious and political matters gave rise to propaganda. Obviously there were no newspapers or movies or printed media to use as vehicles for the propaganda. This short section is a helpful source which briefly explains how propaganda flourished in Greece mainly through "disinformation and defection". Understanding how the various ploys were successful back then helps me to be able to further analyze the propaganda efforts (by means of posters) that followed, especially those I will concentrate on which took place in America beginning in the early 1900s.