"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
- 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, Media and information
- 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, OWI 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-146 (NAID 535659).
Text on the object
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
