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Historical Society of Pennsylvania war posters collection

Notifications

Held at: Historical Society of Pennsylvania [Contact Us]1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
V95
Repository:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Extent:
2.4 linear feet (; 136 flat files)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], HSP war posters collection (Collection V95), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Date:
1914-1945
Creator:
Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Abstract:
This collection includes over 500 original World War I and World War II posters. The World War I section includes a number of Liberty Loan, American National Red Cross, and the U.S. Food Administration posters, while the World War II group includes American home front posters, many of which were published by the Office of War Information. Other organizations represented in the collection include the War Production Board, U.S. Shipping Board, Emergency Fleet Corporation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve ("Spars"), the Y.W.C.A., Women’s Land Army, as well as branches of the U.S. military. War bonds, rationing, enlistment, vigilance, and conservation of resources are all topics treated by these artworks. The collection includes posters by such famous artists as Albert Dorne, James Montgomery Flagg, E. McKnight Kauffer, David Stone Martin, Norman Rockwell, Ben Shahn, and Frederick Siebel. The collection is arranged into three series: Series 1 (World War I), Series 2 (World War II), and Series 3 (Commemorative). Materials are further arranged by size, except for Series 3 which contains only medium-sized items, and by country of origin. Within each subseries materials are arranged alphabetically by topic or issuing organization.

Series I. World War I, Folders 1-49, 122-124, 128-136

a. U.S. Small, 2 folders

b. U.S. Medium, 33 folders

c. U.S. Large, 9 folders

d. Foreign Medium, 3 folders

e. Foreign Large, 2 folders

Series II. World War II, Folders 50-121, 125-126

a. U.S. Small, 14 folders

b. U.S. Medium, 25 folders

c. U.S. Large, 31 folders

d. Foreign Small, 1 folder

e. Foreign Medium, 2 folders

Series III. Commemorative, Folder 127

This is an artificial collection created over time by HSP staff mostly through donations and purchases of individual images or groups of prints.

Posters in folders 130-136 were formerly part of HSP Collection of World War I Posters (Collection 3349), which has been disbanded.

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

Balch Institute ethnic posters collection (Collection 3212)

Historical Society of Pennsylvania poster and broadside collection (Collection V94)

Work Project Administration posters (Collection V99)

Subject

Publisher
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by John Armstrong
Finding Aid Date
2008
Sponsor
The processing of material from the former HSP collection of World War I posters (Collection 3349) into this collection was made possible by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lafayette Collins III.
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Collection Inventory

United States Food Administration – “America’s Food Pledge 20 Million Tons”.
Oversize 1
War Savings Stamps.
Oversize 1
28th Infantry Division ("Keystone").
Oversize 130
American Chocolate Fund; American Committee for Relief in the Near East; American Field Service; American Legion; American Library Association; American Ouvroir Fund; American Red Star Animal Relief; Business Men’s War Council.
Oversize 2
American National Red Cross.
Oversize 3-5
Committee on Public Safety; Council of National Defense (various states); Department of Civilian Service and Labor; Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania.
Oversize 6
Fatherless Children of France; Girl Scouts; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Interchurch World Movement; Italian War Relief Fund; Keystone Party Headquarters; National Security League.
Oversize 7
Liberty Loan - general.
Oversize 8-9
Liberty Loan – 2nd.
Oversize 10
Liberty Loan – 3rd.
Oversize 11
Liberty Loan – 4th.
Oversize 12-13
Liberty Loan – Victory.
Oversize 14-15
Liberty Loan and War Savings Stamps.
Oversize 131
Military Trainings Camps Association; National War Garden Commission.
Oversize 16
National Committee of Patriotic Societies; National Phonograph Records Recruiting Corps; National Plant, Flower and Fruit Guild; Our Boys in France Tobacco Fund; Patriotic League; Private Peat.
Oversize 17
Navy League of Philadelphia.
Oversize 132
U. S. Army and Navy recruiting.
Oversize 133
U.S. Army; U.S. Army Air Service; U.S. Embassy, France; U.S. Employment Service.
Oversize 18
U.S. Food Administration.
Oversize 20-22, 134
U.S. Fuel Administration.
Oversize 23
U.S. Marines.
Oversize 24
U.S. Navy.
Oversize 25
U.S. Shipping Board. Emergency Fleet Corporation.
Oversize 26-27
War Camp Community Service.
Oversize 135
War Savings Stamps.
Oversize 28
United War Work Campaign; War Chest; War Committee of the Episcopal Church; War Risk Insurance; Women’s Land Army; YWCA.
Oversize 29
Miscellaneous: An Appeal to the American people; Ask the Policeman; First Call; Marshal Foch; On to victory; Over the Top; Ready to demobilize; The Uhlan’s Raid; The Road to France; They brought us victory; Welcome Home; Welcome 77th.
Oversize 30, 136
American Legion.
Oversize 31
American National Red Cross.
Oversize 32
Air Service; American Committee for the Relief in the Near East; American Red Star Animal Relief; Aviation Section, Signal Corps; Commission for Relief in Belgium; Czechoslovak Recruiting Office.
Oversize 33
Committee on Public Information; Committee on Public Safety; Council on National Defense; Home for Polish Girls; National Guard; Salvation Army.
Oversize 34
Liberty Loan – General; 3rd.
Oversize 35
Liberty Loan – 4th.
Oversize 36
Liberty Loan – Victory.
Oversize 37-38
Society of the Sons of St. George.
Oversize 39
U.S. Army; U.S. Employment Service; U.S. Food Administration.
Oversize 40
U.S. Marine Corps.
Oversize 41-43
U.S. Navy.
Oversize 44
U.S. Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation.
Oversize 45
U.S. Tank Corps; U.S. War Films; United War Work Campaign.
Oversize 46
Women’s Land Army.
Oversize 47
War Savings Stamps; World Fellowship; Y.M.C.A.; Y.W.C.A.
Oversize 48
Miscellaneous: All For Victory; American Library Association; Boston Commission on Public Safety; Daylight Savings; Lectures / Demonstrations; National League for Women’s Service; On to Berlin; U.S. Boys Working Reserve; Wake Up America.
Oversize 49
Belgian Military Mission; France.
Oversize 122
Britain; Wales.
Oversize 123-124
Belgium - Emprunt de la Restauration Nationale [National Restoration Loan]; Britain; Canada; France.
Oversize 128
Poland.
Oversize 129

American Library Association.
Oversize 50
American National Red Cross.
Oversize 51-52
Health and Nutrition Programs.
Oversize 53
Merchant Marine.
Oversize 54
Nursing Recruitment.
Oversize 55
Office of War Information: “Can All You Can”.
Oversize 56
Office of war Information: “I’m Counting on You”; “Somebody Blabbed”.
Oversize 57
Office of war Information: “Strong in the Strength of the Lord”.
Oversize 58
U.S. Department of Labor.
Oversize 59
U.S. Public Health Service.
Oversize 60
U.S. Public Health Service: VD graphics.
Oversize 61
Victory War Stamps; War Bonds.
Oversize 62
War Contributions: Seagrams: “When in Doubt, Lights Out”.
Oversize 63
U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Navy; University of Pennsylvania; War Camp Community Service; War Contributions: various.
Oversize 64
American National Red Cross.
Oversize 65
Blotters: March of Dimes; National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis; Committee for the Celebration of President’s Birthday; Nursing Council for War Service; Philadelphia Defense Council; U.S. Army (including WAAC); U.S. Coast Guard (including SPARS); U.S. Marines; U.S. Navy; War Housing.
Oversize 66
Children’s Bureau; Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies; Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania; National Committee for Conservation of Manpower in Defense Industries; National Council for the Promotion of Father’s Day; National Inventors Council; National Rifle Association; National Society for the Advancement of Patriotic Education; Russian War Relief, Inc.; United China Relief.
Oversize 67
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #1-24 (incomplete).
Oversize 68
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #26-37 (incomplete).
Oversize 69
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #39-64 (incomplete).
Oversize 70
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #65-79 (incomplete).
Oversize 71
Office of War Information: General subjects 1942-1943.
Oversize 72
Office of War Information: General subjects 1944-1945.
Oversize 73
U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Army; U.S. Civilian Defense; U.S. Crop Corps (one Women’s Land Army).
Oversize 74
U.S. Coast Guard.
Oversize 75
U.S. Government: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Industrial Salvage; Internal Revenue Service; Office of Price Administration; Office of Production Management; Public Safety Committee; Solid Fuel.
Oversize 76
U.S. Government: Fuel Conservation Campaign; Office for Economic Stabilization.
Oversize 77
U.S. Office of Defense Health and Welfare; U.S. Office of Defense Transportation; U.S. Office of Education; U.S. Office of Emergency Management; U.S. Office of Employment Service.
Oversize 78
U.S. Marines; U.S. Navy.
Oversize 79
U.S. Postal Services: V-Mail; U.S. Army and Navy; U.S. Post Office.
Oversize 80
U.S. Public Health Services.
Oversize 81
War Contributions: Bearings Manufacturing; ESSO; Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Kroger Baking and Grocery Company; Philadelphia Evening Bulletin; Philadelphia Inquirer; Saturday Evening Post.
Oversize 82
War Contributions: Seagrams.
Oversize 83
United Service Organization; United War Chest; Veterans of Foreign Wars in the U.S.; War Food Administration; War Housing Center.
Oversize 84
War Bonds & Stamps, 1942.
Oversize 85
War Bonds & Stamps, 1943.
Oversize 86-87
War Bonds & Stamps, 1944-1945.
Oversize 88
Miscellaneous: Stop Hitler Now; Extracts from Adolf Hitler’s Public Speeches; Headquarters Eastern Defense Command and First Army ; I avow my hope and faith…; Eighth Pan American Child Congress.
Oversize 89
American National Red Cross; Nursing Council for War Service.
Oversize 90
First Aid.
Oversize 91
Government Printing Office.
Oversize 92-94
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #8-24 (incomplete).
Oversize 95
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #26-46 (incomplete).
Oversize 96
Office of War Information: Numbered Series: #54-78 (incomplete).
Oversize 97
U.S. Army: Conservation Project; Ordinance Division; WAC.
Oversize 98
U.S. Government: Office of Civilian Defense; Office of Defense Transportation; Office of Emergency Management; U.S. Coast Guard (including SPARS); U.S. Employment Office.
Oversize 99
U.S. Government: Department of Labor-Women’s Bureau; Bureau of Internal Revenue; Office of Price Administration; U.S. Maritime Commission; War Department Safety Council; Work Projects Administration.
Oversize 100
U.S. Marines.
Oversize 101-102
U.S. Marines. Wake Island.
Oversize 103
U.S. Navy. Construction Works.
Oversize 104
U.S. Navy. “Don’t Slow Up the Ship”.
Oversize 105
U.S. Navy. Incentive Division.
Oversize 106-107
U.S. Navy. Recruitment.
Oversize 108-109
U.S. Navy. Seabees.
Oversize 110
U.S. Navy. WAVES.
Oversize 111
U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs.
Oversize 112
War Bonds & Stamps, 1941.
Oversize 112
War Bonds & Stamps, 1942.
Oversize 114
War Bonds & Stamps, 1943.
Oversize 115
War Contributions: American Broadcasting Company; American Express; American Radiator and Standard Sanitary; ESSO; General Cable Corporation; Koppers Company; Republic Steel; Steel.
Oversize 116
War Contributions: Pennsylvania Railroad.
Oversize 117
War Manpower Commission.
Oversize 118
War Production Board, 1942.
Oversize 119
War Production Board, 1943.
Oversize 120
Canada.
Oversize 121
Britain.
Oversize 125
Canada: Director of Public Information.
Oversize 126

Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead; First recognition of the Stars and Stripes; From the first volley…; Good discipline is considered…; If that fellow wants to fight...; Logistics is as vital…; The most blood and daring…; Victory was the consummation…; We fought her…; We have met the enemy and they are ours; You may fire when ready, Gridley; Iwo Jima.
Oversize 127

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