Beyond the World Wars
Historic posters occupied a unique place between art and advertising in their effort to move hearts and minds.
As posters declined in popularity and television took a share of the advertising market, many post-world war poster designs hearkened back to iconic poster images of the great wars.
Lloyd I. Tucker's 1936 membership poster "Join! The American Legion" is based on a U.S. Army Ordnance poster from World War I showing a munitions worker rolling up his sleeves while looking at the American flag.
Although not as prolific since the two world wars, posters continued recruitment efforts and the solicitation of donations for relief efforts during modern wars.
Often distributed as digital files and shared on social media or as advertisements on websites, modern “posters” fulfill many of the same needs as historic posters by providing public information, advertising for charitable causes, and recruiting for America’s all-volunteer military.