Library of Congress WPA posters

An American phenomenon, WPA (Work Project Administration) posters make a fascinating comparison with contemporary British poster style. The WPA website of the Library of Congress contains 932 posters of the 1930s and 1940s, which can be searched, browsed or viewed as a slide show.

The posters were a government intiative and were "designed to publicize exhibits, community activities, theatrical productions, and health and educational programs in seventeen states and the District of Columbia, with the strongest representation from California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania."

The images are accompanied by full metadata, including detailed iconographic indexing. Subjects include exhibitions, books, concerts, shows, and health and safety.

(C) Library of Congress