A new exhibit featuring WWII propaganda has come to UTM’s J. Houston Gordon Museum in the Paul Meek Library.
“Work, Fight, Give: American Relief Posters of WWII” challenges preconceived notions about the war relief efforts of WWII through honoring artists instead of soldiers.
The exhibit consists of posters, donation boxes and various propaganda items used by several allied countries to gather clothing, food and funds for the war effort. Most of the artwork within the exhibit is loaned from private collections and was put together by Harl Wert, professor of History at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.
Sam Richardson, chief archivist and curator of the J. Houston Gordon Museum, said, “I’m very interested in the era of time between 1930 -1950, it’s what I did much of my research on when getting my B.A. and M.A. in History.”
Next semester Richardson is planning an exhibit on women in the Holocaust.
“The thing is, I try to make them different, and that one is kind of following the theme of this one.”
Richardson has also reserved an exhibit on Johnny Cash’s concert at Folsom Prison which will be on display during the 2022 fall semester.
Richardson said people often ask why he doesn’t acquire larger exhibits, “It’s way too expensive and way too big, I would love to get something like that, but I just can’t.”
Richardson strongly encourages students and faculty to visit the J. Houston Gordon museum. There are new exhibits each semester and the library staff works to find new exhibits for students each time.
“I would like students to know we’re here, and they just don’t know.”
“Work, Fight, Give: American Relief Posters of WWII” will be open until March 6.
The exhibit is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., and visitor parking passes can be obtained through the library’s information desk.
