Content note: Contains a stereotyped caricature of a turbaned Black man as a fortune-teller. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Don't be a dope! Order from S.N.L.'s
Army supply-ordering cartoon for soldiers: a turbaned, bearded fortune-teller caricature with a Hotel towel on his head waves his hands over the eyes of the buck-toothed 'Joe Dope' figure, beside a four-line verse on ordering parts by the proper form. 'Don't be a dope!' is name-calling aimed at the careless orderer, softened by humour.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1945
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1143C (NAID 514691).
Text on the object
Oh, one cannot really decree That depots mind-readers should be If your order for parts Must be read by black arts Let's make the above S.O.P. Don't be a dope! ORDER FROM S.N.L'S [towel lettering, partly hidden:] HOT EL CAI[illegible] [lettering on ground:] JOE DOPE REKAZISHIN [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1945-O-631775
