This special exhibit of over 170 propaganda posters commemorates the 100^th anniversary of the United States’ entry into WWI. The U.S. government decided to use a popular artistic medium, the poster, to incite fear in its citizens of an unknown enemy on another continent. Propaganda poster artwork took on many forms; in one instance the viewer could expect a tugging at the heart strings with images of rosy-cheeked mothers and children, optimistic soldiers in the prime of youth eager to fight for home and country, and the virginal, feminine ideals of liberty, justice, and America. Other posters were considered atrocity propaganda and depicted hard, guttural images portraying the enemy’s capacity for pure evil, violence and murder. One could not help but be moved to any number of emotions, from pity and fear, to pride and righteous indignation.

Be prepared for an emotionally powerful and artistically fascinating experience.

Despite the passage of 100 years—as well as many wars and disillusionment about them—these posters retain their power to make you stare. Good and evil are clearly delineated. The suffering is hard to ignore. With over fifty posters in the exhibit, be prepared to experience the reasons why this conflict in our history was called “the war to end all wars” and see for yourself how these posters essentially helped win that war.