---
title: '"In the Vanguard for Democracy!!"'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/us-owi-alston-in-the-vanguard-for-democracy-1943/
description: Three Liberty ships, named S.S. Robert L. Vann, S.S. Robert S. Abbott and S.S. John H. Murphy, steam forward under the words 'Our Liberty Fleet'.
section: Collection
---

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3. "In the Vanguard for Democracy!!"

[!["In the Vanguard for Democracy!!", 1943 US cartoon: Three Liberty ships, named S.S. Robert L. Vann, S.S. Robert S. Abbott](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/us-owi-alston-in-the-vanguard-for-democracy-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/us-owi-alston-in-the-vanguard-for-democracy-1943.jpg)

# "In the Vanguard for Democracy!!"

Three Liberty ships, named S.S. Robert L. Vann, S.S. Robert S. Abbott and S.S. John H. Murphy, steam forward under the words 'Our Liberty Fleet', with more ships behind. A news item notes that the Maritime Commission named a third Liberty ship for a pioneer Negro publisher. The tell is glittering generalities and transfer: ships named for Black newspaper publishers are linked to 'democracy' and 'liberty'.

## 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

```
U.S. MARITIME COMMISSION NAMES THIRD LIBERTY SHIP FOR PIONEER NEGRO PUBLISHER." ....NEWS ITEM

OUR LIBERTY FLEET

SS ROBERT L. VANN
SS ROBERT S. ABBOTT
SS JOHN H. MURPHY

"IN THE VANGUARD FOR DEMOCRACY!!"

Alston OWI
```

[← Hilyard Robinson - Architect, Community Planner](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/us-owi-alston-hilyard-robinson-architect-1943/) ["Let him have that right, and we can take him this round!!" →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/us-owi-alston-let-him-have-that-right-1943/)

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