“Hold Up Your End!” was one of many posters issued during World War I to encourage support of the war. This poster was commissioned by the American Red Cross and designed by William B. King in 1918. King was an American artist and illustrator known best for his work in propaganda posters. The American Red Cross commissioned many such posters during World War I in national fundraising campaigns to encourage the American people to donate money and support. This poster in particular was especially emphasizing financial support. The poster asked donors to give money to help reach the campaign War Fund Week’s goal of $100,000,000. Before the war, the Red Cross was a small and insignificant organization based in the U.S.. During the war, the organization saved money and provided help to the warring nations in Europe. Once the U.S. entered the war, the Red Cross was inundated with volunteers and funding from the government. WWI made the Red Cross into a global organization that was capable of helping people around the world. This poster was created and reproduced as a lithograph at the time of its distribution.
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