Rizal Died for You: Be Worthy of Him (English poster distributed in Asia)
A colour poster with a large profile portrait over a yellow manuscript of handwritten Spanish verse, headed 'Rizal died for you' ('you' underlined in red) and 'Be worthy of him'. At right stands a man in a barong-style shirt, trousers and salakot-style hat. The tell is transfer: the standing of José Rizal and his farewell poem is attached to the viewer's duty, and the unstated call to be 'worthy' is left undefined.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1950
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- U.S. Information Agency (predecessor: State Department International Information and Educational Exchange Program), Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia series
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Truman Administration
- Leader
- Harry S. Truman
- Audience
- Foreign public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- Elections and party politics
- Event
- Cold War
- Source
- Unidentified Source blurred: contractors, cutouts, buried disclosure
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), Record Group 306, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work; NARA RG 306)
U.S. Information Agency / Department of State, c. 1950-55. National Archives, Record Group 306 (NAID 5730063, 306-PPA-164).
Text on the object
Adios, Patria adorada Perla del mar de Orien[te] A darte voy alegre [la] Y fuera más brilla[nte] También por ti la[...] En campos de [...] Otros te dan sus v[idas] El sitio nada imp[orta] Cadalso ó camp[o abierto] Lo mismo es si lo [...] Yo muero cua[ndo ...] Y al fin anuncia[...] Si grana necesita Vierte la sangre [...] Y dórela un refl[ejo] Mis sueños cuand[o ...] Mis sueños cuando Fueron el verte un d[ía] Secos los negros ojos, a[...] Sin ceño, sin arruga Ensueño de mi v[ida] Salud, te grita el alma que pronto Salud! ah que es hermoso caer por Morir por darte vida morir bajo tu Y en tu encantada tierra la eterni[dad] Si sobre mi sepulcro vieres bro[tar] Entre la espesa yerba sencilla Acércala a tus labios y besa Y sienta yo en mi frente ba[jo] De tu ternura el soplo, d[e] Deja á la luna vern Deja que el alba envíe su r Deja gemir al viento c Rizal died for you BE WORTHY OF HIM
[Handwritten Spanish, cut off at the right edge by the portrait; only the visible fragments are given] Farewell, adored Fatherland / Pearl of the Orient sea / I go gladly to give you [...] / And it would be brighter [...] / Also for you [...] / In fields of [...] / Others give you their lives / The place matters nothing / Scaffold or open field / It is the same if [the fatherland asks] / I die when [...] / If you need crimson / Pour out the blood [...] / And let a gleam gild it / My dreams when [...] / Were to see you one day / Dry the black eyes [...] / Without frown, without wrinkle / Dream of my life / Hail, the soul cries to you, soon / Hail! ah, how beautiful to fall for [you] / To die to give you life, to die beneath your [sky] / And in your enchanted land eternity / If over my grave you see [...] grow / Among the thick grass, a simple [flower] / Bring it to your lips and kiss [my soul] / And may I feel on my brow [...] / The breath of your tenderness [...] / Let the moon [...] / Let the dawn send its [light] / Let the wind moan [...] Rizal died for you BE WORTHY OF HIM
English headline and foot line are complete. The Spanish handwriting is partly covered by the portrait; only legible fragments are transcribed, with [...] marking what is hidden or unreadable.
