WWII Propaganda Posters – Art to Inspire 🖼️

Victory gardens, rationing, safety at sea – during WWII the U.S. government plastered messages on posters nationwide. The Still Picture Branch holds 44-PA: World War II Posters (1942–45), including work by famed cartoonist Will Eisner. See dozens of these historic posters (from patriotic to poignant) in our Catalog: NAID 513498.

Image: “‘Of Course I Can!’ I’m patriotic as can be – And ration points won’t worry me!”. Home-front posters like this encouraged Americans to can food and save resources. ALT: Color WWII poster of a woman juggling jars of produce under text “Of Course I Can!” (NAID 515098).

Image: “Don’t be a dope – Handle equipment right!”. Cartoonist Will Eisner created Joe Dope, a bumbling GI who taught troops what not to do. (In this poster, Joe’s negligence sends a jeep’s wheels flying!) ALT: WWII safety poster by Will Eisner showing a jeep crash due to loose bolts, captioned “Don’t be a dope – Handle equipment right!” (NAID 514727).

From stirring recruitment appeals to humorous instructional comics, these WWII posters reflect the era’s spirit. Browse over 1,300 WWII posters in NARA’s holdings – an eye-catching window into the 1940s war effort.

“Jenny on the Job” was a series of posters created by artist Kula Robbins and issued by the Public Health Service in 1943. This poster depicts what women working in the factories and around machines were expected to wear.

Fire Safety in the U.S.: The Story Behind the Posters 🔥🧯

Fire safety in the United States caught fire (not literally!) after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This event prompted the creation of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 1896, laying the groundwork for fire safety regulations.

However, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that federal agencies really stoked the flames of fire safety education. During World War II, the U.S. Forest Service, in collaboration with the Ad Council, introduced Smokey Bear, whose “Only you can prevent forest fires” message would later become iconic.

So, why posters? Well, they’re a visually striking way to catch people’s attention and convey important messages succinctly. They use a combination of strong imagery and memorable slogans to imprint key safety messages into the public consciousness. These images and words, once seen, can be recalled in crucial moments, aiding in both fire prevention and appropriate response.

Through the years, the government and various organizations have leveraged the power of posters to reinforce fire safety principles. From the 1970s’ “Learn Not to Burn” program by NFPA aimed at children, to modern campaigns focusing on smoke alarms and fire escape plans, posters have been instrumental in these educational drives.

The history of fire safety programs in the U.S. is a testament to the power of public education. And the posters? They’re the colorful champions, the unsung heroes, carrying the vital messages of these programs to the public eye. Because, after all, prevention is the best firefighting strategy!

Food Propaganda Posters: From War-Time Rations to Post-War Indulgences 🍔🥩🥧

Food propaganda posters of World Wars I and II rallied the public around wartime efforts, such as home gardening and rationing. But did they shape our post-war diets? Let’s explore.

Garden-to-Freezer Revolution 🍡

Victory Gardens, immortalized in posters like these, epitomized wartime self-sufficiency. The advent of post-war technology led to a surge in frozen foods, replacing these gardens with ads for TV dinners.

Meat-Centered Diet 🥩🍖

Wartime posters urged citizens to explore meat alternatives. Post-war advances in farming made meat more accessible and led to a meat-centered diet.

Tin Culture 🍱

Canning, vital during the wars for preserving homegrown produce, transformed into a culture of pre-packaged canned foods.

Sugar Surge 🍨🍭🍬

Rationing sugar was a wartime staple, but in the 1950s, sugary foods and drinks exploded onto the scene, illustrated by soda pop advertisements.

While food propaganda posters influenced wartime diets, the post-war era saw a drastic shift towards convenience and indulgence, as mirrored in the advertising of the time.

What can you discover in our Catalog?