Illinois State University’s Milner Library will host an exhibit of World War II posters starting on Monday, March 14, and continuing through Friday, September 30. The historic posters will be arranged thematically among the five floors in Milner Library and will be rotated periodically through the duration of the exhibit, which is free and open to the public.
The “Art of Persuasion: World War II Posters from the United States Government, 1941-45” showcases a sampling of original WWII posters aimed at persuading the American people to perform their patriotic duty and make sacrifices for the war. The posters were part of an attempt by the Office of War Information to persuade those on the home front to buy war bonds, conserve resources, work efficiently or simply stay silent. The posters document the U.S. during the time of war and are especially significant as the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the 10th anniversary of 9/11 are approaching.
The exhibit includes many iconic images, which are easily recognizable 70 years later and which are a part of the U.S. visual culture and collective memory. The posters represent a broad range of messages and artistic styles, many of which were created by important artists of the period who volunteered their talents for the war effort.
For more information on the exhibit, contact Angela Bonnell, government documents librarian at Milner, at abonne@ilstu.edu or 438-2354.
