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Visualizing a Century of Public Health
A Graphic Art Retrospective

Introduction

For over a century, public health campaigns have used eye-catching visuals to educate and inspire action. Galter Library's new graphic art gallery brings this rich history to life with a series of 22 historic posters spanning the early 20th century to the 1970s. From early Red Cross appeals to mid-century warnings about germs, vaccination campaigns, and Chicago's own public health efforts, these posters tell the story of how visual media has shaped the perceptions of health and disease.

Public health posters emerged as a powerful tool in the late 19th century, coinciding with advancements in printing technology that made mass communication more accessible. Originally used to sell pharmaceuticals and raise funds for disease victims, posters quickly became a medium for public health messaging, particularly during the First World War. As health campaigns sought to reach wide audiences, posters evolved alongside advertising trends, using bold colors, striking imagery, and minimal text to grab attention and convey urgent messages.

Events

Select posters were showcased April 2nd at the 2025 Public Health Summit presented annually by Feinberg School of Medicine's Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM).  

Credits

Curated and designed by Emma Florio, MLIS, Archives & Research Specialist; with support from Katie Lattal, MA, Special Collections Librarian; and Emma Wilson, Communications Coordinator.

Primary Sources

The Red Cross

  1. American National Red Cross. "To Rescue the Drowning."  [Washington, D.C.]: Office for Emergency Management, [between 1941 and 1945]. World War II Posters series, Records of the Office of Government Reports, Record Group 44. National Archives and Records Administration. Available from: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/515843.
  2. King, W. B. "Hold Up Your End!" New York: American National Red Cross, 1918. Penn State University Libraries Digital Collections. Available from: https://digital.libraries.psu.edu/digital/collection/warposters/id/122/.
  3. Roeg, Herman. "Help the Red Cross." [Washington, D.C.]: American National Red Cross, [1917?]. National Library of Medicine Digital Collections. Available from: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101453795.
  4. Schlaikjer, Jes Wilhelm. "Blood saves lives." New York: American National Red Cross, 1948. In copyright, not pictured here.

Germs Spread Diseases

  1. U.S. War Department. "When a fly wipes his feet on your food he's spreading disease." [Washington, D.C.]: Government Printing Office, 1944. National Library of Medicine Digital Collections. Available from: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101454785. 
  2. Railways Studios. "Danger! Don’t spread disease." Issued by the New Zealand Department of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: E.V. Paul Government Printer, c. 1950s. Health Posters Collections (Series 24223), Archives New Zealand. Available from: https://digitalnz.org/records/35199501/health-poster-danger-dont-spread-disease.
  3. Krause, Erik. "Keep clean." [Rochester, N.Y.]: Federal Art Project, [between 1936 and 1939]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98516190.
  4. Railways Studios. "Coughs and sneezes spread diseases." Issued by the New Zealand Department of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: E.V. Paul Government Printer, 1963. Health Posters Collections (Series 24223), Archives New Zealand. Available from: https://digitalnz.org/records/36376912/coughs-and-sneezes-spread-diseases.
  5. U.S. War Department. "Before. Never give a germ a break!" [Washington, D.C.]: Government Printing Office, 1944. World War II Posters series, Records of the Office of Government Reports, Record Group 44. National Archives and Records Administration. Available from: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/513944.

Preventive Health

  1. District of Columbia Society for the Prevention of Blindness. "Wash your hands before touching your eyes." [Washington, D.C.]: Office for Emergency Management, [between 1941 and 1945]. World War II Posters series, Records of the Office of Government Reports, Record Group 44. National Archives at College Park. Available from: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/516048.
  2. "Eat fruit – be healthy.” [New York]: Federal Art Project, [between 1936 and 1938]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98513528.
  3. "Don't You Get Hooked!" Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1970. National Library of Medicine Digital Collections. Available from: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101581762.
  4. "He who treats himself has a fool for a doctor." Issued by the National Tuberculosis Association. Philadelphia: McCandlish Litho Corporation, 1931. Wellcome Collection. Available from: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/mnzv96s7.  In copyright, not pictured here.
  5. Keely, Patrick. "Sepsis: get first aid." Issued by the Ministry of Labour and National Service. London: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 1943. Wellcome Collection. Available from: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/d7f9wz7c. Slight cropping and color correction. CC BY 4.0

Chicago History

  1. Chicago Department of Health. "Is your child vaccinated?" Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, [between 1936 and 1941]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98507705.
  2. "Don’t Gamble with Syphilis." Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, [between 1936 and 1940]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98508386.
  3. Cook County Public Health Unit. "Take part in America’s crusade against tuberculosis." Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project. [1940]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98508942.
  4. Chicago Department of Health. "Diphtheria strikes unprotected children." Chicago: Illinois WPA Art Project, [between 1936 and 1941]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98508392.

Combating Cancer

  1. Railways Studios. "Cancer Take Warning." Issued by the New Zealand Department of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: E.V. Paul Government Printer, 1958. Archives New Zealand. Available from: https://digitalnz.org/records/36378434/cancer-take-warning. Slight cropping and color correction. CC BY 2.0
  2. "X-Ray, radium, surgery - the three recognized treatments for cancer." [New York]: WPA Federal Art Project, [between 1936 and 1939]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98515040.
  3. "Cancer: early diagnosis would save 50,000 lives every year." U.S. Public Health Service, [19--]. National Library of Medicine Digital Collections. Available from: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101439382.
  4. "Fight cancer - delay is dangerous." [New York]: WPA Federal Art Project, [between 1936 and 1938]. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection. Library of Congress. Available from: https://lccn.loc.gov/98513579.

Exhibit Details

Visit the library's Mezzanine to explore these striking, high-quality reproductions of historic public health posters, curated from the National Library of Medicine Digital Collections, the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and other repositories. Whether you’re interested in medical history, design, or public health communication, this collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the past—and a reflection on how we continue to tell stories of health and wellness today.

  • Location
    Galter Library Mezzanine
    Date
    Feb 13, 2025 - Present
    Contact
    ghsl-specialcollections@northwestern.edu
    Subjects
    public health
    20th century
    art

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