Experience The Art That Rallied America During World War I

Fort Caspar Museum is proud to present “Home Front Posters of the Great War, 1917–1918,” an exhibit featuring 30 vividly reproduced World War I posters from the renowned collection of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. The exhibit will be on display through April 11, 2026.

These bold, eye-catching posters reveal how artists inspired Americans on the home front to contribute to victory abroad—urging citizens to buy war bonds, conserve food, and rally behind the troops with patriotic fervor and creative flair.

WWI was one of the first conflicts where governments systematically used mass media, like posters, to reach the general public with a unified message. They created many enduring symbols of the war, such as the American "Uncle Sam" and the British "Lord Kitchener". Posters were designed to stir emotions and persuade the public by using symbolism, national pride, and the fear of the enemy, making them a key tool for "selling the war".

During World War I, the impact of the poster as a means of communication was greater than at any other time during history. The ability of posters to inspire, inform, and persuade combined with vibrant design trends in many of the participating countries to produce thousands of interesting visual works. As a valuable historical research resource, the posters provide multiple points of view for understanding this global conflict. As artistic works, the posters range in style from graphically vibrant works by well-known designers to anonymous broadsides.