Title

Still the Greatest Mother

Creator

Alonzo Earl Foringer
American Red Cross
Courtland Smith

Preview

Creation Date

1920

Description

“Still the Greatest Mother” was one of many posters issued during World War I to encourage support of the war. This poster was commissioned by the Red Cross from Alonzo Earl Foringer, or A. E. Foringer, in 1920. Foringer, an American painter, was a member of an important political family in Pennsylvania. The poster was a reiteration of an earlier work by Foringer titled “The Greatest Mother.” 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 exploded 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 inspired by a Red Cross slogan created by a Princeton graduate, Courtland Smith. It was printed many times and became one of the most popular pieces of American visual propaganda during the war years. This poster was created and reproduced as a colored print at the time of its distribution.