Corn: The Food of the Nation. Serve Some Way Every Meal
A smiling woman in a white blouse stands behind a spread of muffins, pancakes with syrup, and jars of corn meal, grits and hominy, on a purple ground. The text names corn 'the food of the nation' and urges serving it at every meal, calling it appetizing, nourishing and economical. The tell is the string of positive words with no figures, which links corn to the nation and to thrift.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Food Administration; Lloyd Harrison (artist)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Food Administration; Lloyd Harrison (artist). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-93.
Text on the object
CORN THE FOOD OF THE NATION SERVE SOME WAY EVERY MEAL APPETIZING NOURISHING ECONOMICAL CORN MEAL GRITS HOMINY UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION Lloyd Harrison [signature] HARRISON-LANDAUER INC BALTIMORE
The pencilled '93' at the lower right edge is a collection mark, not transcribed as design text.
