July 1942: United We Stand

Of the original 500 magazines printed July 1942 that featured the American flag, this exhibition reunites 60 years later nearly 100 of these covers. Intended as a show of patriotism, national strength, and unity in a time of crisis, the 1942 "United We Stand" campaign was initiated by the magazine publishing industry and linked to the U.S government's war bond drive. The common symbol of the flag reminded Americans of what defined them as a nation. Magazines as diverse as the The New Yorker, Cosmopolitan, Field and Stream, Popular Mechanics, Infantry Journal, Parents, and Walt Disney's Comics participated. Most of the covers are from a private collection.