Guide to the Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2010
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection
Collection number: MSS-2010-02-02
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Processed by:
- Robert Donahue
- Date Completed:
- 2010
- Encoded by:
- Rosalinda Gonzales
© 2010 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection
Dates: 1914-1979
Bulk Dates: 1914-1945
Collection number: MSS-2010-02-02
Collector:
Burdick, Charles Burton, 1927-1998
Collection Size:
122 Folders, 1,452 Posters
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection 1914-1979 (bulk 1914-1945) is a graphic art collection of posters documenting
World War I and World War II. The collection consists of over 1,400 posters created by both the United States and foreign
nations. War posters were used as propaganda to sell the war to the American public. The posters generally defined war as
a struggle between good and evil, and featured the sale of liberty bonds to protect American democracy. A broad range of topics
are represented in the collection, including war bonds, civilian employment, women's service in the military, food rationing,
and fire prevention. The collection also includes posters documenting political subject matter from the 1930s-1970s. This
collection is arranged into three series: Series I. World War I Posters, 1914-1918; Series II. World War II Posters, 1939-1945;
and Series III. Political Posters, 1930s-1970s.
Physical location: Posters are located in flat file drawers 1-01 through 2-10 in Vault 1.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English, Filipino, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright is assigned to the San José State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection, MSS-2010-02-02, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Robert Donahue. Finding aid EAD encoded by Rosalinda Gonzales. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant
project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008.The Project Director
is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Collection Description
Between World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945), the U.S. government used propaganda through the mass production
of war posters, pamphlets, billboards, advertisements, and film to foster broad-based support of the two wars. In World War
I, the Committee on Public Information (CPI) was organized to shape public opinion in favor of U.S. war aims. Civilian chairman,
journalist George Creel, enlisted the creative talent of over 150,000 people to produce over 100 million pieces of literature
and visual materials in order to explain the meaning and cause of the war to the American public. During World II, the War
Advertising Council (WAC) produced a similar volume of war propaganda materials.
The U.S. government used propaganda posters as a powerful mass communication tool to build support for the war effort. Throughout
both wars, posters were created to boost morale, increase patriotic sentiment, promote the purchase of war bonds, offer guidelines
for food rationing, and promote civilian and military war work, while demonizing countries such as Germany, Japan, Spain,
and Italy. Various government agencies worked closely with private organizations such as the YWCA and the Red Cross to produce
a variety of posters that supported the war, and specifically targeted women to conserve, to work in war industries, and to
consider military service.
Included in this collection are posters that depict the aggression of the Germans against the vulnerability of neighboring
countries, such as the experience of Belgium. One such example graphically projects the imagery of the Belgium people victimized
by the Germans as invading Huns. In WWII, both the United States and England also utilized the "First to Fight" poster campaign
to portray the Germans and the Japanese in an unfavorable light. Many of these posters used less offensive techniques to engender
support from American women by targeting their responsibilities as patriots through military service as WAVES, WACS, and as
Red Cross nurses, while the iconic image of "Rosie the Riveter" and slogans like "Yes We Can!" encouraged both married and
single women to enter the workforce in unprecedented numbers.
Bibliography
Bird, William L.
Design for Victory: World War II Posters on the American Home Front. 1st ed. Rubenstein, Harry R. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1998.
Paret, Peter.
Persuasive Images: Posters of War and Revolution from the Hoover Institution Archives. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1992.
Price, Sean.
The Art of War: the Posters of World War II. Chicago: Raintree, 2009.
Scope and Content
The Charles B. Burdick War Poster Collection 1914-1979 (bulk 1914-1945) is a graphic art collection of posters documenting
World War I and World War II. The collection consists of over 1,400 posters created by both the United States and foreign
nations. War posters were used as propaganda to sell the war to the American public. The posters generally defined war as
a struggle between good and evil, and featured the sale of liberty bonds to protect American democracy. A broad range of topics
are represented in the collection, including war bonds, civilian employment, women's service in the military, food rationing,
and fire prevention The collection also includes posters documenting political subject matter from the 1930s-1970s.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series: Series I. World War I Posters, 1914-1918; Series II. World War II Posters,
1939-1945; and Series III. Political Posters, 1930s-1970s.
Subject Headings
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
World War, 1914-1918 -- History
World War, 1939-1945 -- History
World War, 1914-1918 -- Posters
World War, 1939-1945 -- Posters
World War, 1914-1918 -- United States
World War, 1914-1918 -- United States -- Posters
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
World War, 1939-1945 -- Finance -- United States
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States -- Posters
World War, 1939-1945 -- United States -- Propaganda
World War, 1939-1945 -- Women -- United States
World War, 1939-1945 -- War Work -- United States
World War, 1939-1945 -- Food Supply -- United States
United States -- Naval Reserve -- Women's Reserve
United States -- Office of Civilian Defense
United States -- Office of War Information
United States -- War Food Administration
United States -- War Manpower Commission
Creel, George, 1876-1953
Committee on Public Information -- United States
Series I:
World War I Posters
1914-1918
Physical Description: 86 Folders, 991 Posters
Series Scope and Content Summary
The material in this series consists of poster campaigns for the U.S. and foreign nations involved in World War I. The bulk
of the series documents propaganda in the U.S., France, and Great Britain, but include smaller representations from Canada,
Germany, Poland, and Russia. A broad range of topics are represented in this series, including war bonds, civilian employment,
food rationing, military enlistment, and conservation of specific resources, such as oil and rubber.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by country. Posters are located in flat file drawers 1-01 through 1-12 in Vault 1.
Folder 1-2
Canada
Physical Description: 2 Posters
Folder 3-24
France
Physical Description: 313 Posters
Folder 25-29
Germany
Physical Description: 50 Posters
Folder 30-37
Great Britain
Physical Description: 63 Posters
Folder 38
Poland
Physical Description: 12 Posters
Folder 39
Russia
Physical Description: 5 Posters
Folder 40-85
United States of America
Physical Description: 531 Posters
Folder 86
U.S.: Women's Posters
Physical Description: 15 Posters
Series II:
World War II Posters
1939-1945
Physical Description: 41 Folders, 361 Posters
Series Scope and Content Summary
The material in this series documents poster campaigns for several countries involved in World War II. The bulk of the series
documents U.S. propaganda campaigns, but includes examples from Belgium, Great Britain, Canada, Hungary, the Philippines,
and the USSR (Russia). A broad range of topics are represented in this series, including war bonds, civilan employment, women's
service in the military, food rationing, conservation of natural resources, and fire prevention.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by country. Posters are located in flat files drawers 1-13 and 2-05 through 2-08 in
Vault 1.
Folder 87
Belgium
Physical Description: 1 Poster
Folder 88
Canada
Physical Description: 6 Posters
Folder 89-92
Great Britain
Physical Description: 21 Posters
Folder 93
Great Britain: Women's Posters
Physical Description: 6 Posters
Folder 94
Hungary
Physical Description: 1 Poster
Folder 95
Philippines
Physical Description: 2 Posters
Folder 96
Spain
Physical Description: 1 Poster
Folder 97
USSR (Russia)
Physical Description: 3 Posters
Folder 98-126
United States of America
Physical Description: 297 Posters
Folder 127
U.S.: Women's Posters
Physical Description: 23 Posters
Series III:
Political Posters
1930-1979
Physical Description: 10 Folders, 100 Posters
Series Scope and Content Summary
The material in this series consists of various poster campaigns from Great Britain, Cuba, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, and the
USSR (Russia) promoting specific political parties, figures and national ideologies.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by country. Posters are located in flat file drawers 2-09 through 2-10 in Vault 1.
Folder 128
Cuba
Physical Description: 2 Posters
Folder 129
Germany
Physical Description: 13 Posters
Folder 130-131
Great Britain
Physical Description: 32 Posters
Folder 132
Hungary
Physical Description: 1 Poster
Folder 133
Sweden
Physical Description: 1 Poster
Folder 134-137
USSR (Russia)
Physical Description: 51 Posters
