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That is one of
the surprises of a new museum show of century-old wartime
propaganda to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into
World War One after it declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917.
Equally unexpected is the show's relevance to today's America
under the Trump administration, according to curators of
"Posters and Patriotism: Selling World War I in New York," which
runs until Oct. 9 at the Museum of the City of New York.
"We had a centenary to explore," said curator Steven Jaffe.
"But as we started looking at these amazing posters, we realized
that many of the issues that engaged Americans in 1917 seemed
oddly fresh, oddly timely. Nationalism, diversity, tolerance,
immigration, free expression, political expression, either in
the press or in free speech," he said.
"All of these things, both in terms of the United States and
also some of the movements that are sweeping across Europe,
really started emerging out of these posters that (are) 100
years old. We didn't expect that."
Organizers grouped the posters, which were produced by New York
artists under the direction of the federal government's war-era
Division of Pictorial Publicity, to encourage visitors to
explore timely political themes.
While the centerpiece is an iconic finger-pointing Uncle Sam
declaring "I want you," there are also striking posters
challenging U.S. immigrants, "Are you 100 percent American?
Prove it! Buy government bonds" and an outpouring of anti-German
images.
"There was a real intolerance toward German-Americans, fears
that German-Americans would be disloyal to the United States, be
loyal to their homeland, Germany, that they would engage in acts
of sabotage and espionage and terrorism," Jaffe said.
"Very reminiscent of some of the rhetoric we have today about
Muslim-Americans and other peoples of the world who are seen as
political or economic threats to our integrity and well- being."
The French Embassy is a main sponsor of the event, which
spotlights New York City as the incubator of wartime propaganda
aimed at cultivating loyalty, duty and sacrifice.
"It is certainly is relevant, especially with what's going on in
the world today," said Rima Abdul-Malak, the embassy's cultural
attache.
The show also features historical maps dividing New York into
ethnic neighborhoods, and photographs including one of a
captured German U-boat submarine that was transported to the
city and put on display in Central Park in 1917.
(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Daniel Wallis and
Steve Orlofsky)
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