The History Of Propaganda Posters In The US And Their Role In Highlighting Social Issues [Infographic]

The History Of Propaganda Posters In The US And Their Role In Highlighting Social Issues - Infographic title

Propaganda is by no means a new development in the history of human society. Research suggests that the Ancient Greeks, 16th-century Spanish monarchs and kings and queens of England used propaganda long before posters were released to highlight social and political issues in the US.

In the USA, propaganda really only began in earnest in the run-up to World War One. The first poster of note was an open criticism of capitalism entitled ‘The Pyramid of the Capitalist System.’ This poster was designed to make people think about the hierarchy present in society and to question the merits of a capitalist system. 

Later, as war broke out, propaganda was used widely across the world to support home troops and further their cause. In the US, posters appeared encouraging women to join the workforce. Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of female workers in the US workforce increased by 10 percent.

Propaganda posters were also used to sell products, most notably, Liberty Loans, after the First World War, and to highlight issues that permeated society. Perhaps the most significant was racism. In the 1940s, a poster brandishing the slogan, ‘Keep Your School All-American’ was circulated with a view to ending racism and promoting harmony.

More recently, propaganda posters have been used to drum up support for presidential candidates. The Daisy Girl image shown in the infographic below was designed to encourage voters to back Lyndon B Johnson, while Ray Noland’s ‘Go Tell Mama! I’m For Obama’ poster urged people to vote for Barack Obama in 2008.

The Infographic

Infographic Produced By Norwich University