Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
"True to a Fighting Tradition!", 1943 US cartoon: A pencil drawing arranges five Black American soldiers, one per conflict

"True to a Fighting Tradition!"

A pencil drawing arranges five Black American soldiers, one per conflict, dated 1776, 1863, 1898, 1918 and North Africa 1943, with the 1943 soldier largest in the foreground. The technique tell is transfer: the earlier wars' soldiers and the 1776 flag lend their historical standing to the present-day soldier, framed by the caption's 'tradition'.

Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

Glittering generalitiesTransfer
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
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-2 (NAID 535596).

Text on the object

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

1776
1863
1898
1918
NORTH AFRICA
1943
"TRUE TO A FIGHTING TRADITION!"
Alston OWI

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