Uncle Sam Propaganda Posters

Since the early 19th century uncle sam has been a popular symbol of the us government in american culture and a manifestation of.

Uncle sam propaganda posters. Whether that be buying war bonds or paying our taxes. But it was only part of a broader global propaganda strategy to move modern minds to fight. Government and a symbol of tax collection in america. Uncle sam s i want you may be the most famous poster in existence.

World war i produced one of the most memorable images in american history. The origin of the term uncle sam though disputed is usually associated with a businessman from troy new york samuel wilson known affectionately as uncle sam wilson the barrels of beef that he supplied the army during the war of 1812 were stamped u s to indicate government property. This is the earliest uncle sam poster i could find. He has appeared in numerous posters advertisements parodies television shows and just about any other media source you could name.

Flagg who had already created the i want you image for a july 1916 issue of leslie s weekly produced forty six posters for the dpp s war effort many of them featuring the character of uncle sam for flagg the use of this national personification was the ideal tool for propaganda and while images of uncle sam had existed since as early as the 1800s it was flagg s version that. This was originally published on the cover of the july 6 1916 article of leslie s weekly. Cue a 1914 british propaganda poster designed by alfred leete to help recruit soldiers to fight with the british expeditionary force. Army recruiting poster that depicts a commanding uncle sam pointing his finger at the viewer and urging young.

Thomas nast was the first political cartoonist to draw a recognizable picture of uncle sam but james montgomery flagg was the man who created the i want you poster in world war i uncle sam. During the interwar period he composed art for a number of advertising and publishing clients and even sketched celebrities of the day like prizefighter jack dempsey and actress ethel barrymore. The uncle sam i want you poster is 100 years old. Library of congress washington d c.

Federal government or the country in general that according to legend came into use during the war of 1812 and was supposedly named for samuel wilson the actual origin is by a legend. Uncle sam advertisement featuring uncle sam. The sam image quickly vanished from public following the 1918 armistice and flagg carried on with his successful career as a magazine illustrator. Uncle sam initials u s is a common national personification of the u s.

In this 1917 poster uncle sam is most definitely the main force of interpellation. The return of uncle sam. Our stern and patriotic uncle sam reminds us to roll up our sleeves and do our part for america.