James Weldon Johnson - Author, Diplomat, Public Servant
A pencil biographical panel centres a large portrait of James Weldon Johnson, with three small vignettes: a handshake with an officer at a consul's desk, two men at a piano, and the presentation of a medal. Printed paragraphs summarise his career. The tell is testimonial: a named, admired figure is held up as an example for the audience.
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
- Race and ethnicity, War and the military, Home front
- 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, RG 208, Artworks and Mockups for Cartoons (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-79 (NAID 535623).
Text on the object
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON AUTHOR, DIPLOMAT, PUBLIC SERVANT An able statesman, he served as U.S. consul to Venezuela and Nicaragua. He was an early advocate of the good neighbor policy toward South America. James Weldon, and his brother, Rosamond were internationally famous as song writers. Their hit songs were featured by such fabulous stars as Anna Held and Lillian Russell! Easily one of the most talented and versatile men of his generation. He received the coveted Spingarn Medal in 1925 for his achievements as statesman, poet, musician, teacher, journalist and crusader. Alston OWI
