Roosevelt Campaign Poster, 1940
Artifact IDMO 2006.56
Object Type
Poster, Political
Maker
Joseph Chervin
Date1940
Mediumpaper (cardboard), ink, pencil, plastic (cellophane)
Dimensionsoverall H 17 1/8 in x W 12 in (43.5 cm x 30.5 cm )
Physical DescriptionA small, handmade campaign poster. On a white background, bordered with red and blue bands, is a message in black text: “WAKE UP AMERICA! / THIS IS NO TIME FOR AN AMATEUR’S BUNGLING EXPERIMENTS! / KEEP THE STATE GUIDED BY AN ABLE VETERAN PILOT WHO HE ONLY CAN STEER THE SHIP OF STATE TO SAFETY IN PRESENT TROUBLED TIMES. / HERE WE PRESENT THE BRAVE CAPTAIN / WHOSE NAME STANDS, SPELLS, & SYMBOLIZES TRUE AMERICANISM AND AMERICAN SAFETY / DON’T GAMBLE WITH DESTINY / VOTE DEMOCRATIC & PLAY SAFE!” Additional text along the sides reads: “GREAT MINDS HAVE PURPOSE: OTHERS HAVE WORRIES / BELIEVE IN YOUR COUNTRY AND ITS GREAT LEADER – BE AMERICANS!”
On the lower half of the poster is a newspaper cutout portrait of FDR topped by a red, white, and blue American shield with the words “THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.” Running vertically on either side of the portrait is the message “PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT OF THE USA” with each letter acting as the start of a word promoting FDR’s cause.
The poster is placed within a pink cardboard window mat wrapped in yellow cellophane to create an orange surround. Handwritten in pencil at the bottom of the mat: “PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION / CAMPAIGN OF 1940 / Joseph Chervin.”
Additional DetailsOn the lower half of the poster is a newspaper cutout portrait of FDR topped by a red, white, and blue American shield with the words “THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE.” Running vertically on either side of the portrait is the message “PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT OF THE USA” with each letter acting as the start of a word promoting FDR’s cause.
The poster is placed within a pink cardboard window mat wrapped in yellow cellophane to create an orange surround. Handwritten in pencil at the bottom of the mat: “PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION / CAMPAIGN OF 1940 / Joseph Chervin.”
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesCampaign Memorabilia (National Archives Identifier 778819)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.In Collection(s)
Not on view