WAKE UP AMERICA! — NEW YORK, 1917

A sleeping nation. A gathering storm. One of the striking American propaganda posters of the First World War.

New York, United States, 1917.

This historic poster, Wake Up America! Civilization Calls Every Man, Woman and Child!, was created by James Montgomery Flagg (1877–1960), one of the most influential American illustrators of the early twentieth century.

The image depicts a sleeping woman dressed in the colors of the American flag. She represents Columbia, the female personification of the United States.

While she rests in a wicker chair, dark clouds gather behind her.

Above the image, an urgent command:

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Below, the appeal becomes explicit:

CIVILIZATION CALLS EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD!

AMERICA ENTERS THE WAR

For more than two years, the United States remained neutral during the First World War.

On April 6, 1917, America officially entered the conflict.

The poster was produced as part of a public mobilization campaign associated with New York City's Mayor's Committee on National Defense.

Its message was deliberately dramatic: America must awaken from neutrality and recognize the war as a collective national responsibility.

Flagg used a powerful visual contrast between sleep and danger. The woman appears peaceful, almost vulnerable, while the threatening sky suggests the violence unfolding beyond America's borders.

The result is both an artistic composition and a carefully constructed instrument of persuasion.

JAMES MONTGOMERY FLAGG

Flagg became one of America's most recognizable illustrators, particularly through his famous 1917 recruiting poster featuring Uncle Sam pointing directly at the viewer with the words I Want You for U.S. Army.

His wartime posters combined theatrical gestures, strong colors, and direct slogans to transform political messages into memorable public images.

Wake Up America! belongs to that same visual culture of mass persuasion.

THE DESIGN

This ecru AS Colour Middleweight Oversized T-shirt features a reproduction of the original 1917 color lithographic poster.

The historic artwork is printed on the back, preserving its illustration, original typography, and distinctive period colors.

The front remains completely plain.

No additional slogans, decorative elements, or contemporary interpretations have been added. The poster speaks for itself.

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