“Don`t Let That Shadow Touch Them”

Lawrence Beall Smith, an artist known for his lithographs of children, created the poster titled “Don`t Let That Shadow Touch Them.” It was printed in 1942 for the Government Printing Office for the U.S. Treasury NARA Still Picture Branch. This poster is part of the S. Eugene Thompson ’58 Papers housed in Special Collections and Archives.

The term propaganda was first commonly used in Europe, after Pope Gregory XV created the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in Rome in 1622. However, it was not until the 1790s that the term was used to refer to secular activities as well. Propaganda posters became a very popular means of influencing public opinion during wartime, and were especially prevalent during the two World Wars.

During World War II, the United States Government printed posters such as this one as a means of encouraging and persuading the public to support the war. The posters advocated for everything from buying war bonds and enlisting, to promoting efficiency in factories, carpooling, and planting victory gardens. Unlike many of the European posters that depicted the ugly enemy, the U.S. posters tended to focus on patriotism to in order to garner support.

This particular poster portraying three children standing in the shadow of a swastika was modeled on a Canadian poster of a mother and child, which also advocated for the purchase of war bonds with the purpose of keeping children safe. The U.S. Government conducted a study of commercial posters, which included the Canadian one, and found that images of women and children were most effective in eliciting an emotional response from viewers. Public relations specialists advised the U.S. Government that emotional responses were much more successful in ensuring that posters had an impact on the opinions of the viewer.

We encourage anyone with an interest in seeing how powerful propaganda images can be to stop by Special Collections to learn about Grinnell College’s role in World War II. Special Collections and Archives is open to the public 1:30-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and mornings by appointment.