By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943

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Go directly to the collection, By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943, in American Memory, or view a Summary of Resources related to the collection.

The materials featured in By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943, provide an opportunity to develop critical thinking and creative writing skills. Advertisements, public service announcements, and posters and calendars that promote literacy can be used to examine artists' intents and techniques. These materials can then be used as the basis for original works. The collection's Creator Index provides the opportunity to assess the collected work of a specific graphic artist. These activities, along with an assessment of the World War II-era posters in this collection, can also work as a catalyst for a number of creative writing projects.

Public Service Announcements

Many of the posters in this collection raise awareness of issues relating to health and public safety. Browse the Subject Index for posters discussing the hazards of drunk driving and jaywalking as well as works promoting literacy campaigns and improved public-housing conditions. What types of images and colors are employed to attract attention? How does the phrasing and style of the text convey the poster's message? How does the composition of the poster--particularly the relationship of images within the piece--convey the intended message? How do the posters that warn against dangerous conditions compare to pieces that promote positive efforts such as literacy? How do these posters compare to other pieces in this collection? Choose a public service message and create a poster that conveys this information.

Don't Mix 'Em.

Art Criticism

The collection's Creator Index provides an opportunity to examine the collected work of a specific graphic artist. For example, Blanche Anish's posters include pieces on plays, occupations related to mathematics and industrial arts, and an airplane mechanics course.

Occupations Related to Mathematics.

Occupations Related to Industrial Arts.

Airplane Mechanics Course.

• How do one artist's works compare to another's in terms of theme and composition?
• Is a specific style visible across an artist's work?
• What is your opinion of a particular artist's work? Do you think that the work is successful in conveying its message?
• Do you think that an artist is limited by subject matter?
• Do you think that the images and composition are appealing? Why or why not?
• What aspect of these posters do you think exemplifies the artist's technique?
• Imagine that there is an exhibition of WPA graphic artists. Write a description of the artist's work for an exhibition guide.
• Write a critical review of the artist's work.

Reading Programs

A search on read produces posters that promote literacy. Posters featuring nursery rhyme characters, Little Miss Muffet and Wee Willie Winkie, and touting books as "Passports to Adventure" emphasize the fun of reading. A very different poster presents books as social weapons, and conveys the importance of reading. The Special Presentation, "Federal Art Project Calendar," presents a calendar in which each month is represented by an illustration of a different seasonal activity. This project can serve as a model to create a calendar that promotes literacy throughout the year with a different type of book or theme representing each month.

Vacation Reading Club--Join now at your Public Library.

• How are books depicted in the posters that promote reading? How do these works compare to contemporary literacy campaigns?
• Create a poster or calendar that promotes the value of reading. What aspects of reading will you emphasize? How will you appeal to your viewer and encourage reading?
• In your calendar, will you celebrate one genre or aspect of reading throughout the year, or will you relate a book to each month or season? Write a paragraph describing the idea for each month of the year.
• What visual techniques will you use to convey your message?
• Will you include text on the poster or calendar?
• What do you think that associating a book with a specific month implies about the book and about the appeal of reading?

Commemorative Weeks

National letter writing week, Oct. 1-7: That letter will be appreciated.

A search on week produces posters celebrating a number of special events throughout the year, including Public Library Week, Art Week, Farm and Home Week, and National Letter Writing Week. What do you think is the intention of establishing a week to promote a public library, art, or letter writing? What types of activities do you think were associated with each week? If it continued to be observed, how do you think that events such as Farm and Home Week and National Letter Writing Week would have changed due to technology? What types of events are currently commemorated during special weeks or months? Do you observe these weeks? Why or why not?

Creative Writing: Life During Wartime

Search on war for posters that reflect life during War World II in the United States and abroad. Take on the persona of someone who lived during that era, such as a blue-collar worker in the steel industry, an African-American soldier, or a Japanese American living on the West Coast, perhaps a child. Using the posters as a source of background information and authentic detail, write a short story or a character sketch with the following questions in mind. How do you feel about the conflict? Do you have any friends or relatives directly involved in the war effort? If so, what do they do and how do you feel about their involvement? What do you consider to be threatening your safety? How was your daily routine affected by the war? Did you take any extra steps to support the war effort? If so, what? How would you describe the general attitude in the United States? Do you perceive a sense of fear, hope, determination, or something else? What types of research could you do to support your story?

Service on the home front.