Dr. Charles Hawkins - Inventor, Research Specialist
A pencil drawing combines a portrait of Dr. Charles Hawkins with three small scenes: the Dimometer for blackouts, a pedestrian about to step into an open hole marked Danger, and firefighters at a burning building, each with a short caption. The technique is an exemplary-person profile; testimonial is a weak fit, as he is not quoted endorsing anything beyond his own safety claims.
Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Office of War Information (cartoon artwork; artist Charles Alston)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- Science and technology, Home front, Race and ethnicity
- 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 (NARA), RG 208, Artworks and Mockups for Cartoons Promoting the War Effort (NAID 535594), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 208, 208-COM-229 (NAID 535692).
Text on the object
DR. CHARLES HAWKINS INVENTOR ~ RESEARCH SPECIALIST INVENTED THE DIMOMETER WHICH WILL PROTECT PEDESTRIANS DURING BLACKOUTS. MOST ACCIDENTS, HE SAYS, ARE NOT REALLY ACCIDENTS, BUT THE RESULT OF CARELESSNESS, OR FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE DANGER. EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF SAFETY EDUCATION, HIS RECENT BOOK, "FIRE PREVENTION EDUCATION", IS WIDELY USED IN COMBATING FIRE HAZARDS. DANGER Alston OWI
