Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
"The greatest insurance of all!!", 1943 US cartoon: A pencil drawing shows the bow of a Liberty ship named 'John Merrick'

"The greatest insurance of all!!" (Liberty ship John Merrick)

A pencil drawing shows the bow of a Liberty ship named 'John Merrick' as a crate marked 'Supplies for our fighting men' is lifted aboard. A news item names the ship for a Black insurance executive; the tell is transfer, linking the honoree's insurance career to the war supply effort through the caption pun.

Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

Transfer
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, Economy and finance, 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 and Records Administration, Record Group 208, Cartoon Artworks and Mockups (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-148 (NAID 535661).

Text on the object

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

"MARITIME COMMISSION NAMES A LIBERTY SHIP FOR JOHN MERRICK, PIONEER NEGRO INSURANCE EXECUTIVE"..... NEWS ITEM

JOHN MERRICK

SUPPLIES FOR OUR FIGHTING MEN

"THE GREATEST INSURANCE OF ALL!!"

alston OWI

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