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Historical Society of Pennsylvania World War II propaganda collection
HSP's collection of World War II propaganda offers a glimpse into the visual world associated with the home front during the late 1930s to the mid 1940s. It is mainly comprised of posters, magazine advertisements, flyers, and pamphlets from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental agencies...
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| Collection: | Historical Society of Pennsylvania World War II Propaganda Collection |
| Collection Number: | 3335 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects and Genres: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
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| Physical Description: |
0.6 Linear feet ; 2 boxes, 18 folders |
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| Access: |
The collection is open for research. |
| Summary: |
HSP's collection of World War II propaganda offers a glimpse into the visual world associated with the home front during the late 1930s to the mid 1940s. It is mainly comprised of posters, magazine advertisements, flyers, and pamphlets from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental agencies. The vast majority of the items focus on the European war and, with the exception of some of the war bond ads, make little mention of the Pacific conflict. The collection has been inventoried alphabetically by subject. Large materials have been placed into fourteen folders in a flat box (Box 1), while small materials take up four folders in a small document box (Box 2). Most items are in their original forms, though a few posters have been mounted onto cardboard.
Making up a significant portion of the collection are two folders of war bond posters and advertisements from the Victory Fund Committee and other agencies (Box 1, Folders 13-14). Box 1, Folder 11 contains recruiting posters from the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Women's Reserve ("Spars"), Marine Corps, Marine Corps Women's Reserve, Army, Navy, WAVES, and Air Corps. Items associated with the Seabees, some of which deal with recruitment, have been placed in Box 1, Folder 12. Recruitment posters and ads for U.S. Civil Service Commission and other civil service jobs targeting both women and men can be found in Box 1, Folder 3. There are Office of War Information posters warning against spreading rumors or giving information to the enemy in Box 1, Folder 2. The collection also includes a few British war propaganda posters, posters warning against forest fires (Box 1, Folder 1), and a series of Esso ads featuring "Famous gremlins you should know" (Box 2, Folder 3). Additionally, there are a number of unique items, including examples of V-mail (Box 1, Folder 8), Christmas cards (Box 2, Folder 2), and a few hand-painted placards. There is also a "safe conduct" certificate (Box 2, folder 5), which is printed in English, German, Italian, and Polish. According to the text, upon soldiers being captured, they could present these certificates in order to be treated well as honorable prisoners of war.
Throughout the collection, researchers will find items from public agencies such as the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, Railroad Manpower Mobilization Committee, War Food Administration, Federal Housing Administration, Social Security Board, U.S. Employment Service, Internal Revenue Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Boy Scouts of America, and Children's Bureau Commission on Children in Wartime. There are also a few posters from private companies such as F. W. Woolworth. A few items originated in Philadelphia offices, but most were printed and distributed by the national government. |