Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters of World War II

Before television, visual advertising was dominated by talented illustrators.  During World War II, the U.S. Government leveraged these artists’ talents to create posters that delivered important messages in a single glance.

Viewed both as art and as historical artifacts; these posters had a very real job during the war.  They encouraged and informed the average American on how he or she could help win the war.  Posters promoted the purchasing of war bonds, growing and canning food, and taking jobs to aid in wartime production.  The posters in this exhibition were chosen for their diverse themes and messages, as well as their graphic appeal.  They reflect the themes of recruitment, patriotism, conservation and security.  Everyone could do their part to win the war, and these posters illustrated how.

Several different U.S. Government organizations created and distributed posters.  The Office of War Information was chief among them, as it was their primary duty to inform citizens about the war.  The Office of Price Administration assisted in the rationing program by controlling ceiling prices.  The War Manpower Commission balanced the labor pool for agriculture, industry and armed forces.  All of these departments had their own posters and distributed them from Maine to Hawaii.

Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters of World War II includes 28 authentic, fully framed American war posters.  15 posters feature “extended labels” which explore the themes presented in the poster, and well as the career of the artist who created it.  Also included are four informational panels which detail the government institutions that produced posters, the nature of propaganda, rationing, and more.  Fighting on the Home Front can also be rented as a 15 poster set, for institutions that do not have the space to display the entire exhibition.

Exhibit Specifications

Space:

• 28 poster set: approx. 90-115 linear feet wall space, depending on configuration.
• 15 poster set: approx. 40-65 linear feet wall space, depending on configuration.

Dimensions:

• Posters – 35.25” x 28.25”
• Panels – 36.25” x 24.25”
• Extended labels – 11.25” x 14.25”
• Labels – 3” x 5”

Loan fee:

• 28 poster set: $2,000 /per 3 months.
• 15 poster set: $1,500 /per 3 months.

For more information, or to schedule a rental, please contact

Jeremy Dimick
Manager of Collections
jeremyd@detroithistorical.org
313.297.8391

or

Bill Pringle
Curatorial Assistant
billp@detroithistorical.org
313.297.4102