20 Propaganda Posters From the Past

Carly Tennes Published 04/02/2024

For as long as there has been propaganda, people have wondered whether they could be swayed by targeted images. Yet instead of asking whether or not an illustration can truly change one’s views on social and political issues, it seems we’ve been focusing on the wrong question — how cool do they look?

From old-school political cartoons to World War II posters and even Dr. Seuss drawings, here are 20 cool propaganda posters from history.

1. “‘Let them die in the streets’ USA, 1990”

2. “’Rationing Means a Fair Share For All of Us’ - USA, 1940s”

3. “‘Where is the fifth pig?’ (1940) Anti-German puzzle created in occupied Holland”

4. “’Freedom" 1940 UK”

5. “America First by Dr Seuss (1941)”

6. “’Self determination for the Black Belt. Vote communist’, USA, 1932”

7. “In a protest against censorship, photographer A.L. Schafer staged this iconic photograph in 1934, violating as many rules as possible in one shot.”

8. “’Diplomacy, the American way’, USSR, 1986”

9. “'Racism tears Britain apart’, 2002”

10. “Anti-vac comic from the 1940s.Stupidity is Timeless.”

11. “This patient is hopeless. He was diagnosed with a complete lack of dollars. Soviet Union,1950s”

12. “‘Thanksgiving’ United States, 1967”

13. “DC statehood poster (2006)”

14. “Just drop my body on the steps of the F.D.A.” USA, 1988

15. “Don’t Poke The Bear… 2001”

16. “’Careful, honey, he's anti-choice' — Pro-choice poster, 1981, USA”

17. “’We Won't Stand for the Flag, Until the Flag Stands for the People’ Counter Culture Poster by Bill Stettner, circa 1970”

18. “2009 Net Neutrality Poster”

19. “’The World According to Ronald Reagan’, by David Horsey, 1987.”

20. “‘What has he done to deserve this?’ - anti-metric poster, U.S., 1917”

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