---
title: '"Democracy in action!!" (Booker T. Washington Liberty ship)'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-democracy-in-action-booker-t-washington-1943/
description: A pencil cartoon shows the bow of a ship lettered 'Booker T. Washington' with a uniformed Black captain on the bow, an American flag behind.
section: Collection
---

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3. "Democracy in action!!" (Booker T. Washington Liberty ship)

[!["Democracy in action!!", 1943 US cartoon: A pencil cartoon shows the bow of a ship lettered 'Booker T. Washington'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/owi-alston-democracy-in-action-booker-t-washington-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/owi-alston-democracy-in-action-booker-t-washington-1943.jpg)

# "Democracy in action!!" (Booker T. Washington Liberty ship)

A pencil cartoon shows the bow of a ship lettered 'Booker T. Washington' with a uniformed Black captain on the bow, an American flag behind, and two workers in caps cheering in the foreground. The caption 'Democracy in action' is a virtue phrase attached to the ship and its crew. The tell is glittering generalities: the slogan stands in for a testable claim about integration or opportunity.

## Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

[Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/) [Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION!!

Alston
```

[← Col. Edward O. Gourdin, Commanding Officer 372nd Infantry](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-col-edward-gourdin-372nd-infantry-1943/) ["Democracy in Action" No. II (George Washington Carver Liberty Ship) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-democracy-in-action-no-2-carver-1943/)

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