Friday, July 3, 2009

United We Stand July 1942 Flag Covers

In July 1942, seven months into "the good war", as a sign of solidarity and patriotism the Magazine Publisher's Association decided that every magazine should have a cover depicting a flag. Over 500 magazines participated.
In 2002, to commemerate the sixtieth anniversary of the campaign, the Smithsonian presented an exhibition of over a hundred of them. The website http://americanhistory.si.edu/1942/introduction.html shows nearly 500 images. An interesting story worth reading.

Here is how it was described in 2002
During July 1942, seven months after the United States entered World War II, magazines nationwide featured the American flag on their covers. Adopting the slogan United We Stand, some five hundred publications waved the stars and stripes to promote national unity, rally support for the war, and celebrate Independence Day.
For magazine publishers, displaying the flag was a way to prove their loyalty and value to the war effort. For the U.S. government, the campaign was an opportunity to sell bonds and boost morale. The magazines brought home a message of patriotism and ideals worth fighting for.
The National Museum of American History presents this exhibition to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the United We Stand campaign. We hope you enjoy touring the virtual exhibit, and we also invite you to visit the Museum, where nearly one hundred original flag covers will be on view from March 22 to October 27, 2002.
Today, in light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the flag and the slogan United We Stand have a renewed meaning for many Americans. As the home of the Star-Spangled Banner, the National Museum of American History is a place to explore the history of our national symbol and the ideals for which it stands.

The winner of the competition for the best of all was House and Garden
Here's two from my collection that aren't on the site.















These are fun to collect and display. The more obscure the title, the more valuable. Enjoy! Happy 4th of July.

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