Captain Adrian Richardson, Master of the Liberty Ship S.S. Frederick Douglass
A multi-panel biographical sheet shows a large portrait of Captain Adrian Richardson in uniform, a boy and a sea captain at a dock, a ship near the Statue of Liberty, and two officers at a rail, with captions on his career. The tell is testimonial: a named individual's record and rank are offered as the message, with the uniform and national symbols lending prestige.
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
- War and the military, Race and ethnicity, Labor
- 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, 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-195 (NAID 535678).
Text on the object
As the adopted son of a New England sea captain, young Henry was early marked for a career as a sailor.-- He earned his first mate's ticket at 18-- was a full fledged captain at 25!! CAPTAIN ADRIAN RICHARDSON MASTER OF THE LIBERTY SHIP, S.S. FREDERICK DOUGLASS. Captain Richardson made eight crossings as master of an Army transport in World War I. -NOW HE'S DELIVERING THE GOODS AGAIN!- Captain Mulzac, master of the Liberty ship, Booker T. Washington, once served as first mate under Captain Richardson. Alston OWI
