Recruiting posters for African American soldiers, 1918
These two World War I recruiting posters aim to encourage African Americans to enlist. The first poster, "True Sons of Freedom" invokes the memory of Abraham Lincoln and the bravery of black troops to inspire African Americans to sign up. It frames the war as a struggle for freedom akin to the Civil War. In the second, "Colored Man Is No Slacker," against a background of African American patriotism, self-sacrifice, and courage, a black soldier takes his leave. Both posters position the war as an opportunity for African Americans to prove their patriotism and serve their country.
More than 350,000 African Americans, trained and deployed in segregated units, served in the US military during the war, of whom 42,000 saw action in Europe.
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Support for Invisible Man re the veterans at the Golden Day.