The original poster was created somewhere between 1936-1940 by the Illinois WPA project, during a very difficult time in history, The Great Depression.
I have taken the liberty to adapt and restore the original to make it more adaptable to a visual, online medium. The original poster is part of the public domain, along with a great many other beautiful, powerful works created during the Work Progress Administration era under The New Deal.
The WPA engineered under Franklin Roosevelt was a unique program to put people back to work because it also included artists of many different types. In this way we have multiple views of the era, not just politicians and biased journalists and historians. The WPA involvement of writers, visual artists, artists from different platforms gives us witness, true witness to the feelings, hopes and aspirations of this very difficult era.
The symbol used is the torch from the Statue Of Liberty, with part of the flag as a background, the stars representing the states. It shows the patriotism that existed in the era despite the difficulties. That patriotism of course was sorely tested in the coming World War. But also, it is honest – Democracy is a challenge. It is not a bed of roses, it is not like going down to MacDonalds and getting some fast food. No, it is difficult. And it requires, even demands our participation.
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