The Marginalian
The Marginalian

Gorgeous Vintage PSA Posters for Reading from the 1930s and 1940s

In 1935, in an effort to elevate the nation from the grip of The Great Depression, President Roosevelt launched the Works Progress Administration — a New Deal agency enlisting millions of ordinary citizens and unskilled workers in carrying out public space and service projects as diverse as art murals, road work, and building construction. With a government investment of nearly $7 billion, the WPA provided some 8 million jobs and soon became the largest employer in the country, in the process producing a wealth of public service announcement posters — a treasure trove of mid-century design.

Among the WPA’s design output were a number of gorgeous vintage posters for various literacy projects:

‘In March read the books you’ve always meant to read’
March 25, 1941, WPA Art Project Chicago
‘The vacation reading club – join now at your public library’
March 25, 1939, WPA Iowa Project
‘A book mark would be better!’
Dated between 1936 and 1940, WPA Art Project Chicago

So, in March, what are you reading? A good place to start:


Published March 1, 2012

https://www.themarginalian.org/2012/03/01/in-march-read-wpa/

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