[Propaganda / Anti-Fascism]. Institute for American Democracy, Inc. Collection of nine posters promoting religious and racial tolerance in the U.S. immediately following WWII. New York City: Institute for American Democracy, Inc., (n. d.). Circa 1946. Approximately 17-1/2” x 23-1/2”. White paper printed with b/w illustration and blue, red or yellow spot color; one poster also printed with plum. Illustration to upper portion, text below. Good to very good condition, with horizontal creasing from being rolled and varying degrees of light general wear; approx. 2” tear and creasing to head of one poster; tears and marginal loss to another. Good+ overall.

Collection of posters issued by the Institute for American Democracy, a front organization for the Anti-Defamation League, possibly as part of the Advertising Council’s postwar “United America” campaign. “United America” was a massive, nationwide propaganda campaign designed to combat inter-group prejudice and reintegrate returning soldiers into U.S. society. It ran from 1946-52 and worked with a number of organizations to create and distribute print and radio ads, including the Institute for American Democracy/ Anti-Defamation League. Despite the ubiquity of the campaign and the variety of material produced, few posters by the IAD from this or any other campaign appear to have survived – we find only a handful in institutions or in auction records, and no collections of this size.

Titles offered: “Which would you choose as a Typical American?”; “Play Ball Hate”; “Let’s Tear Out These Weeds!”; “America Rediscovered”; “GUILTY of Being Different”; “It’s Too Bad Baby – Some People are Going to Hate You!”; “I am so an American!”; “HEROES FOR HIRE in assorted sizes, colors and creeds”; and “Joe’s Proudest Day”.