Poster Collection.

Holdings: 1479 posters

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of posters from both World War I and World War II with a tourist and other miscellaneous posters from the same periods. More than half of the posters are from countries other than the United States. French posters predominate, but there are also World War I and II posters from Belgium, Canada, England, and Italy, plus World War I posters from Germany and World War II posters from Czechoslovakia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, and Yugoslavia. Additionally, the collection contains broadsides, banners, pamphlets, and ephemera.

The U.S. World War I posters promote recruitment, savings stamp and bond drives, patriotism, and conservation. There are also a few anti-war posters in the collection. Artists represented include James Montgomery Flagg, Howard Chandler Christy, Edward Penfield, Frank Brangwyn, Windsor McCay, and Joseph Pennell.

The U.S. World War II posters deal with similar themes. A significant number portray the work of women in the war effort. Prominent artists of these posters are John Steuart Curry, Norman Rockwell, Dean Cornwell, and Thomas Hart Benton.

Catalog records for most of the collection can be viewed under the following headings:

• World War I Poster Collection (University of Missouri–Columbia. Libraries) 
• World War II Poster Collection (University of Missouri–Columbia. Libraries). 
• Travel posters.

Posters in the University of Missouri Digital Library.

Library of Congress World War I Posters Collection.

World War II Poster Collection from Northwestern University Libraries.

World War II Newsmaps from University of North Texas Libraries.

Many other posters are held in libraries and can be accessed through the Digital Public Library of America. 

The origin of the collection is not clear. World War II posters appear to have been acquired as issued by the federal government, 1941-1945. Posters from countries other than the United States may also have been distributed from the same source. The World War I posters, the travel posters, and the other miscellaneous posters were acquired in 1947, but whether by gift or purchase cannot be ascertained.

Most U. S. government posters are in the public domain. The University of Missouri Libraries do not hold copyright on most collection materials, and therefore we do not charge usage fees or require permission to publish scanned images. The libraries encourage use of reproductions of Special Collections materials in publications, broadcasts, public displays and on web pages. However, please be aware that the user is responsible for determining copyright status and applying for permission to copyright holders.

Materials do not circulate but are available to users in the Special Collections Reading Room during service hours or by appointment. Advance notice may be required to prepare oversized materials.