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Now and Then: American Propaganda and Protest Posters

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As a history nerd, I simply cannot resist going down the rabbit hole of the history behind great design. I found myself studying advertising design in HOW U’s online course , which discusses the history of advertising during the World War I era—which in turn piqued my interest. I decided to dig further into this era of advertising. One thing struck me during my research: Propaganda ads and protest art from a hundred years ago portray the same themes that we still see in today’s political climate.

In this week’s Print design education post, I will take a look at some world war one advertisements, particularly those themed on similar issues that we face today. What can we learn from the past advertisements and the public’s rallying cries from a century ago? That is a question I will leave you to answer. For now, let’s look at the graphic design of that era dealing with these issues.

For modern time posters, I grabbed protest poster designs from this article by Ellen Shapiro. I located vintage propaganda art and ads, and a few protest signs, from the Library of Congress website to create a contrast and compare of now and then. While these posters do not fully reflectthe sentiments of the times, they do provide glimpses into our American ancestors and their values. While common themes exist between then and now, the messages and tones contrast significantly. Let’s see how things have changed in the past century.

Below, we examine the artwork from 100 years ago and compare it to current designs based on the following issues: Nationalism, Immigration, Liberty and Justice, Humanitarian Fundraising, Jobs & the Economy, Women’s Advertising & Rights, and Health Insurance. Please feel free to share your thoughts and/or research in the comment section below.

A Century Later: American Propaganda Art and Posters

Nationalism:.

Title: Forward America! / Carroll Kelly 1917 ; Wright Henry Worth Inc. Creator(s): Kelly, Carroll, artist Date Created/Published: 1917. Medium: 1 print (poster) : lithograph, color ; 57 x 39 cm. Summary: Poster showing a figure of Columbia, brandishing an American flag and a shield, riding an eagle as she leads a large squadron of airplanes.

Title: Wake up America Day – April 19, 1917 / James Montgomery Flagg. Creator(s): Flagg, James Montgomery, 1877-1960, artist Date Created/Published: 1917. Medium: 1 print (poster) : lithograph, color ; 101 x 67.7 cm. Summary: Poster showing a woman, possibly Jean Earl Moehle (Möhle), dressed as Paul Revere carrying lantern and American flag. Moehle reenacted Paul Revere’s ride for the Wake Up America Patriot’s Day celebration in New York City. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2015 and The New York Times, April 19, 1917)

immigration

Title: Remember your first thrill of American liberty Your duty – Buy United States government bonds–2nd Liberty Loan of 1917 / / Sackett & Wilhelms Corp. N.Y. Creator(s): United States. Department of the Treasury, funder/sponsor Date Created/Published: 1917.

Liberty & Justice:

Title: Liberty, freed, humanity’s need! / Alex. O. Levy. Creator(s): Levy, Alexander Oscar, 1881-1934, artist Date Created/Published: 1918. Medium: 1 print (poster) : lithograph, color. Summary: Allegory showing the figure of Liberty, arms outspread with broken chains hanging from her wrists, gathering children to her sides.

Title: That liberty shall not perish from the earth – Buy liberty bonds Fourth Liberty Loan / / Ioseph Pennell del. ; Heywood Strasser & Voigt Litho. Co. N.Y., imp. Creator(s): Pennell, Joseph, 1857-1926, artist Date Created/Published: [1918] Medium: 1 print (poster) : lithograph, color ; 104.2 x 71.6 cm. Summary: Poster showing the Statue of Liberty in ruins, and the New York skyline in flames.

Women Advertising & Rights:

View more protest signs from the Women’s March here .

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL – COLUMBUS CIRCLE, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES – 2017/01/15: Hundreds of activists and allies from the newly-formed anti-Trump group Rise & Resist staged a peaceful protest at Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City, to fight against the radical changes to the American healthcare system proposed by the Trump Administration and Republicans. (Photo by Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Title: Hold on to Uncle Sam’s insurance, the strongest, safest and cheapest insurance in the world – Keep it up after you are back in civil life / James Montgomery Flagg ; Forbes Boston. Creator(s): Flagg, James Montgomery, 1877-1960, artist Date Created/Published: 1918.

CPAC attending helps herself to a free “Repeal ObamaCare” at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor MD on March 14, 2013. (Photo by Jeff Malet) (Newscom TagID: jmpphotos015623.jpg) [Photo via Newscom]

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Protest Posters From the Vietnam Era

During the 1960s and 70s, protest posters served as rallying cries for peace, as defamations of the federal government, and as tributes to the martyrs of the civil rights movement.

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In contrast to the patriotic, colorful war propaganda posters of the first half of the 20th century, the 1960s and 70s gave rise to another type of political advertisement -- the simply drawn, sometimes sobering protest poster. Decorating the bulletin boards of college campuses, these posters served as rallying cries for peace, defamations of Nixon and the federal government, and tributes to the martyrs of the civil rights movement.

Here's a selection of 25 posters from 1969 to 1974, compiled from "The Art of Protest" collection at the San José State University Library.

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Text: History of American Propaganda Posters

History of american propaganda posters: american social issues through propaganda.

Leaders throughout history have been able to use propaganda to their own needs and desires. By stirring an individual’s imagination and emotions whether it is for better or worse, figures in power who create campaigns of propaganda imagery can drive a population towards their end wants. Propaganda became a common term around America during World War I when posters and films were leveraged against enemies to rally troop enlistment and garner the public opinion. Propaganda became a modern political tool engendering good will across wide demographics and gaining favor of the country.

The following infographic takes a closer look at American Social Issues expressed through Propaganda imagery.

What is Propaganda?

Propaganda can be described as thoughts, ideas, allegations or facts, spread deliberately to further one’s own cause or with the intention of causing damage to an opposing cause. Propaganda is commonly understood to involve any medium that strikes an illicit emotional reaction to one’s thoughts or views. It is a form of biased communication that is expressed through forms of art that do not always depict one set of thoughts in a clear way. A way to clearly stir the emotions of a populace and drive a one-sided opinion, propaganda has been a tool for the powerful to convince and push the less powerful towards a purpose.

The History of Propaganda

Although the term propaganda became common place in the United States during period of World War I, the concept has been used long since then. Some of the first to use propaganda for their own accords were the Greeks. Though the Greeks did not use propaganda as we know it now in print or movie depictions, they still used art to project their thoughts onto groups. Greeks could influence large groups of citizens and country men to their ways of thought through games, theater, assemblies, courts, and religious festivals.

After the invention of the printing press, leaders could now spread their ideas to the masses much more quickly. Philip II of Spain and Queen Elizabeth of England both used printed and written materials to organize their subjects during the Spanish Armada in the 16th century. To convince each individual nation that the other was at the aggressor, the leaders each participated in their own propaganda campaigns to distribute widespread dissent.

Newspapers during the Mexican American War sometimes took it upon themselves to influence articles and create articles that called for annexation of all Mexico by the United States. In some populations areas that were still controlled by Mexico, some U.S. writers would write or edit papers with the purpose of convincing the residents that the U.S. terms for peace should be accepted and that it was their best choice.

American Social and Political Issues Depicted Through Propaganda

America has been using propaganda in art for over a hundred years to drive the population towards a common thought. Often the premise dispensed by the government is centered toward an idea of Americanism or pride for the country over others. However, opposition for anyone in power had the same opportunity to use these same tactics through the wide distribution of newspapers and printing machines.

The Pyramid of the Capitalist System Created in 1911, The Pyramid of the Capitalist System, this cartoon directly criticized the worst parts of capitalism. As an American cartoon published, distributed and seen by many of those who were not on the top of the hierarchical capitalistic food chain, it brought to light a social issue that many were afraid to express before.

Liberty Loan Drive Promoting the purchase of war bonds during World War I was very important for the U.S. to keep the war machine driving forward and funded. The Liberty bond driving needing a boast and public attention used an ad that inspired people to purchase bonds. The ad was successful in driving funding and raised more than $17 billion.

Help Keep Your School All-American While the United States has bene a mixing pot, the issue of racism has been difficult to address. The poster, Help Keep Your School All-American, featuring Superman, one of the most popular figures with school children at the time of the ad spoke to changing a prevalently racist outlook of America at the time.

Women in the War This poster meant to drive women into the armed service. By featuring a woman working directly with a wartime device, it helped to inspire a feeling of comfortability with women serving at home and abroad.

We Can Do It Nearly everyone is familiar with “Rosie the Riverter”, but probably not everyone is familiar with her as a propaganda peace to inspire the U.S. wartime workforce. The posters produced of her were pivotal in swinging public opinion that a woman could work in a factory and outside the house to drive the wartime machine production. From 1940 to 1945 the percentage of female U.S. workforce increased from 27 percent to 37 percent.

Daisy Girl Political campaign propaganda took a strong foothold during the middle of the 19th century. At a time when nearly everyone feared nuclear warfare, Lyndon B. Johnson played off this fear and created campaigns against his opposition’s controversial comments. Though the political ad, Daisy Girl, only aired once it was still instrumental in playing on the fears of the people to swing their opinion.

Go Tell Mama! I’m For Obama Even in present day terms, America is using propaganda to stir emotion and convince others of our thinking. Artist Ray Noland emphasized the idea of community in his Go Tell Mama! I’m For Obama, playing on the ideas and sentiments of a largely community organization that needed grassroots marketing to spread advertising.

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Mid-Century Modern: 1960s Style Posters

Turbulent '60s Style Posters

Explore our world-leading 1960s Style collection.

The orderliness of the Fifties would yield to a more chaotic and revolutionary tenor by the mid-Sixties. A new illustration style, one which borrowed freely from Surrealism, Pop Art and Expressionism, was more relaxed and intuitive and the first wave of a Post-Modernist sensibility. A famous example was Milton Glaser's 1967 Bob Dylan record album insert. Glaser crystallized the musician's counter-cultural message by portraying his long hair as a rainbow of richly flowing waves. Glaser's Push Pin Studio was matched in creativity by a dynamic school of poster art in Poland from the '50s through the '80s. The Polish School became known for a sardonic and gut wrenching variety of Surrealism in promoting the State-controlled theatre and cultural organizations.

The excesses of the drug culture and political alienation led to a brief but spectacular Psychedelic Poster craze in the U.S., which recalled the floral excesses of Art Nouveau, the pulsating afterimages of Op-Art, and the bizarre juxtapositions of Surrealism. And the French May Day protests generated a school of propaganda poster that harked back to the Soviet poster and cartoon art. The style would begin to dissipate in the mid-1970s.

Leading Artists:

United States : Avedon , Galli , Gee , Glaser , Griffin , Klein , Ludekens , Moscoso , Skolnick , Wilson

Switzerland : Brun , Buhler , Leupin

France : Atelier Populaire , Mathieu , Villemot

Italy : Marangolo

Explore our world-leading 1960s Style collection .

Birds fly and sun shines down on Los Angeles mission and bells; orange, yellow

*Header image derived from Richard Avedon's 1967 poster, John Lennon - Look Magazine .

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Seven decades of Soviet propaganda – in pictures

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As the Minsk History Museum in Belarus holds an exhibition celebrating the USSR , we look back at some of the best Soviet poster art

• Welcome to the New East network

• Belarus – a revolution behind the rest of Europe

Arnel Hecimovic

Mon 9 Jun 2014 14.00 BST Last modified on Wed 19 Oct 2022 16.07 BST

A World War II poster from the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. The poster, featuring US, British and Soviet servicemen, is part of the museum's section chronicling the allies' wartime efforts Photograph: AP

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The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 60s and 70s in propaganda posters

Categories: Asia | History | World

Propaganda posters from the time of the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976 clearly show how at that time the country was fighting for the high ideals of socialism, and under what slogans it happened.

The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the 60s and 70s in propaganda posters

"Let's speed up agriculture with the help of modern technology!"

"Criticize the Chinese Khrushchev more actively — from a political, ideological and theoretical point of view!"

"Let's welcome the 1970s with new achievements in the revolutionary struggle and in production!"

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"Produce more coal — support socialist construction!"

"I will never get tired of learning how to destroy enemies!"

"We are becoming stronger on the big earth under the wide sky!"

"Let's protect the forests!"

"We are ready to fight, we are ready for hunger, we are working for the people!"

"If you want prosperity, control the birth rate!"

"Wash — prevent hepatitis!"

"Learn science, build a country!"

"Set an example, fight corruption!"

"Teach the younger generation!"

"Do sports in the big ocean!"

"Let Mao's philosophy become our strongest weapon!"

"The leading cadres should merge with the people!"

"Be ready now!"

"Be on guard, prepare for a hundred alarms!"

"Long live the 9th Congress of the Industrial Union!"

"Destroy the invading enemy!"

"Support the revolution — produce products more actively!"

"Strengthen the coastal defense of the Motherland!"

"Remember about hygiene!"

"Fruits and melons that we eat raw should be thoroughly washed!"

Dong Kunru is a national hero of China, a soldier of the People's Army who blew himself up in an enemy bunker in 1949.

"Execute the Constitution to achieve great industrial victories!"

"Remember your country, look at the whole world!"

"With pride for our socialist country, with pride for our great leader, Chairman Mao!"

"Throw the American imperialists out of South Vietnam!"

"Make an effort to collect scrap metal and other recyclable materials!"

Stay vigilant, protect the Motherland!"

Keywords: 1970s | China | Posters | Revolution

The art of propaganda

Posters expert sophie churcher on the powerful artworks that were such vital components for the dissemination of soviet political strategy.

Stenberg Brothers (Vladimir, 1899-1982; Georgi, 1900-1933), Gossip , 1928 . Lithograph in colours. Sold for £13,750 in the Posters sale on 4 June 2015 at Christie’s London

‘Released in 1928, the film Gossip attempted to show the danger of careless talk, suggesting that those who spoke about things they didn’t understand — or which didn’t concern them — would fall victim to fear and confusion,’ explains Christie’s poster specialist Sophie Churcher.

‘ Gossip was used as a propaganda tool across the Soviet Union, its poster becoming a powerful reiteration of the film’s message,’ Churcher adds. ‘In the foreground, a man gazes into a street car in open mouthed horror, his expression met by the fearful regard of a female passenger.’

The striking poster is the work of prolific Moscow-born artists The Stenberg Brothers , whose Constructivist designs were used to promote around 300 films. ‘Combining lithography and photomontage, the artists produced innovative graphic works that echoed the surreal imagery of the films they advertised,’ says Churcher.

2. Fragments of an Empire

Stenberg Brothers (Vladimir, 1899-1982; Georgi, 1900-1933, Fragment of an Empire , 1929 . Lithograph in colours. Sold for £11,250 in the Posters sale on 4 June 2015 at Christie’s London

Another work by The Stenberg Brothers , this powerful poster was used to advertise Fridrikh Elmer’s 1929 film Fragment of an Empire — described by historian Paul Rotha as ‘the epitome of the Soviet propaganda film’.

‘The film tells the story of a veteran who had suffered from amnesia since the end of World War One,’ explains Churcher. ‘One day, the former soldier recognises his former wife on a train. The pair are reunited, and the veteran’s memory begins to return.’

Underpinning this tale of long-lost love are the soldier’s reflections on the Russian revolution. ‘As his memory returns, the veteran reflects on the difference between pre- and post-Revolution society, admiring what are presented as Soviet achievements.’

Using their signature photomontage technique, The Stenberg Brothers captured the veteran’s vivid expression of shock — the Soviet Union presented as the only antidote to the trials of pre-Revolution society.

3. Milord Macgrew

Stenberg Brothers (Vladimir, 1899-1982; Georgi, 1900-1933), Milord Macgrew , 1927 . Lithograph in colours. Sold for £10,000 in the Posters sale on 4 June 2015 at Christie’s London

Produced slightly earlier in The Stenberg Brothers’ career, this coloured lithograph became the rather morose lead image for Milord Macgrew — the turbulent story of two lovers pushed apart by the decision to leave the Soviet Union.

‘Based on the famous Robert W. Service Poem The Spell of the Yukon , Milord Macgrew is the story of smooth talking Dan Macgrew, who persuades a married Russian dancer to leave her husband, promising her the bright lights of New York,’ explains Churcher. ‘Instead, Macgrew takes the dancer to Alaska, where he forces her to work in a saloon.’

This improbable story has a suitably melodramatic ending, explains Churcher: ‘The protagonist’s Russian husband travels to the Yukon and shoots Dan Macgrew in order to get his wife back. The Stenberg Brothers show the dancer’s face stricken with concern — the moral of the story being that the glory of Capitalist America — with its bright lights — is illusory.’

4. Battleship Potemkin

Anton Lavinksy (1893-1968), Battleship Potemkin 1905 , 1925 . Lithograph in colours. Sold for £45,000 in the Posters sale on 4 June 2015 at Christie’s London

‘Released in the USSR in 1925, Battleship Potemkin is considered Eisenstein’s greatest masterpiece, and came to be one of the most celebrated Russian films of all time,’ says Churcher.

The film presented a dramatised version of the notoriously violent 1905 uprising, which saw the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin rebel against their Tsarist regime officers. Renowned for its depictions of hysteria and despair, the work became the inspiration for Francis Bacon’s 1957 Study for the Nurse in the Film “Battleship Potemkin”.

Written as a revolutionary propaganda film, the work also served as a forum for Eisenstein’s experiments in production and editing, employing techniques from Moscow’s Kuleshov School to elicit visceral response. ‘Displayed in the streets of Russia, Anton Lavinsky’s poster would have been incredibly intimidating, the ship’s guns aimed directly at passersby,’ Churcher explains.

5. Long live the USSR

Gustav Klutsis (1895-1938), Long Live the USSR , 1921 . Offset lithograph in colours. Sold for £15,000 in the Posters sale on 4 June 2015 at Christie’s London

Born in Latvia in 1895, Gustav Klutsis began his artistic training in Riga, before joining the Latvian Rifle Regiment to fight in the 1917 October Revolution.

A keen graphic artist, Klutsis spent much of his time on the battlefield sketching fellow soldiers and Lenin — this early foray into political art marking the beginning of a long career as a Soviet writer, teacher and artist. Though early works displayed Cubist influences, Klustsis came to be recognized as one of the most important exponents of Russian Constructivism.

‘This powerful piece of propaganda employs photo montage to depict marching workers, a mass of bodies moving beneath the declaration ‘Long live the Soviet Union, the fatherland of the world’s proletariat,’ Churcher says.

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