Museum Minute: War Posters, Oklahoma

Everyone was involved in the war effort during World War I, and posters were used by the American government to communicate with citizens across the country. Curator Jason Schubert of the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum in Oklahoma discusses unique artifacts from the Museum's collection in this Museum Minute series. Students at Northeast Technology Center in Claremore, Oklahoma, collaborated with the Museum to explore both the job of curating at a museum and the background stories of museum objects.

Jason Schubert (00:13): The Great War, the war to end all wars, that is what we now call World War I. Sadly, it was not the war to end all wars. But, for its time, it did reach across the world, and everybody was involved. Communication was a lot different in 1914 and 1918 than it is today. We didn't have the internet; we didn't have satellites. There was no instantaneous news coverage across the globe. However, information needed to be gotten out to people. People needed to know how they could be part of the war effort. And so, we have posters.

Jason Schubert (01:06): From the very famous Uncle Sam, "I Want YOU For US Army," down to, "Make your own cottage cheese and save food for the war effort." All of these kinds of messages were put on posters, and processed and put throughout the country. Have a garden. Raise livestock. Raise milk cows, so that the food and the material for war production that was being produced could actually go to the fight. So, be a little more self-sufficient at home. Have what you want, have what you need.

Jason Schubert (01:56): There was rationing, and save for our boys over there. This is our World War I Centennial Exhibit here at the J.M. Davis Arms Historical Museum. It will be up through the end of 2018. Please come and visit us. My name is Jason Schubert, and this is Museum Minute.

Asset ID: 2022.01.01
Themes: Work, history, World War I, posters, graphic design, propaganda, museums, WWI, communication, war, Great War, posters, Uncle Sam, Victory Gardens
Date recorded: 2018
Length of recording: 02:35 m
File Type: Video
Related traveling exhibition: The Way We Worked
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Northeast Tech EAST Students, in collaboration with J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum, Claremore, Oklahoma
More information: https://museumonmainstreet.org/blog-node/students-explore-museum-work-oklahoma