Cornelius Darcy World War I Propaganda Poster Collection
Collection
Identifier: SpC-1000-010
Scope and Contents
The Cornelius Darcy World War I Propaganda Poster Collection compiles 32 original American World War I Posters from 1910 to 1919. This collection is well-preserved: the majority of the posters are in excellent condition with a few having some tears and rips. The condition of these posters do not affect the information that they are providing and can still be viewed as presented. Every poster is sleeved and shelved neatly to ensure preservation. The collection includes "I Want You for U.S. Army," "Remember Belgium", and "They Thought We Couldn't Fight" posters.
Dates
- 1910 - 1919
Creator
- Flagg, James Montgomery (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Conditions Governing Use
Items may be photographed in accordance with the McDaniel College Archives’ usual procedures.
Biographical / Historical
This collection came from Dr. Cornelius Darcy, a professor of History at Western Maryland College from 1963 to 1998. There is no confirmation on how this collection was assembled. A majority of the posters were produced in Maine while others came from Ohio, New York, and Illinois. McDaniel College Archives received the collection in 2002.
During the early twentieth century, posters were a valuable marketing tool to spread propaganda quickly and successfully to the public. Improvements in printing techniques during the 1910s made posters easier to mass produce. Prior to the outbreak of World War I, government agencies and other organizations employed posters to communicate their messages, such as bolstering enlistment in the armed services. Propaganda posters became a formal part of the United States’ war efforts when President Woodrow Wilson established the Committee of Public Information in 1917. This was an attempt to mobilize public opinion behind the war effort. Charles Dana Gibson, the President of the Society of Illustrators, formed and led the Division of Pictorial Publicity under this Committee. The Division recruited prominent illustrators like James Montogomery Flagg, Howard Chandler Christy, and Vic Forsythe to design posters for the war effort. The Committee of Public Information managed the propaganda and where it was posted.
Displayed in public areas throughout cities and towns, the purpose behind propaganda posters was to influence public opinion and behavior in favor of the war effort. The reason why the government and other agencies used posters was because they provided the opportunity to express ideas quickly, vividly, and memorably. Posters were used to raise funds for the war, build hatred towards the enemy, and encourage enlistment. There were over 20 million American posters printed, surpassing every other nation involved in the war.
During the early twentieth century, posters were a valuable marketing tool to spread propaganda quickly and successfully to the public. Improvements in printing techniques during the 1910s made posters easier to mass produce. Prior to the outbreak of World War I, government agencies and other organizations employed posters to communicate their messages, such as bolstering enlistment in the armed services. Propaganda posters became a formal part of the United States’ war efforts when President Woodrow Wilson established the Committee of Public Information in 1917. This was an attempt to mobilize public opinion behind the war effort. Charles Dana Gibson, the President of the Society of Illustrators, formed and led the Division of Pictorial Publicity under this Committee. The Division recruited prominent illustrators like James Montogomery Flagg, Howard Chandler Christy, and Vic Forsythe to design posters for the war effort. The Committee of Public Information managed the propaganda and where it was posted.
Displayed in public areas throughout cities and towns, the purpose behind propaganda posters was to influence public opinion and behavior in favor of the war effort. The reason why the government and other agencies used posters was because they provided the opportunity to express ideas quickly, vividly, and memorably. Posters were used to raise funds for the war, build hatred towards the enemy, and encourage enlistment. There were over 20 million American posters printed, surpassing every other nation involved in the war.
Extent
32 items
Language of Materials
English
Processing Information
Lacy Newhouse, summer archives intern, processed this collection.
- Title
- "Cornelius Darcy World War I Propaganda Poster Collection, 1910-1919"
- Author
- Lacy Newhouse
- Date
- 07/10/2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the McDaniel College Repository
Contact: