Title	American Red Cross. Our Boys Need Sox. Knit Your Bit.
Variant title(s)	Our boys need sox, knit your bit
Contributor(s)	American National Red Cross, publisher. American Lithographic Co., printer.
Physical description	1 print on paper : lithograph, color, sheet 77 x 51 cm.
Publishing Details	[New York] : American Lithographic Co., N.Y., [1918?]
Wall Label	As American soldiers began active duty in France, the American Red Cross sent out an urgent request for knitted goods such as socks, sweaters, scarves, and wristlets. Americans responded to the “Knit for Sammie!” (Uncle Sam) campaign with great enthusiasm, and knitting parties sprang up in cities and towns across the country. Creative knitting was strongly discouraged, and knitters were required to follow knitting patterns developed by the Red Cross in accordance with Army and Navy regulations. Needles and yarn were provided by the Red Cross. The label, “Gift of the American People thru the American Red Cross,” was sewn into every garment . By mid-1918, the military’s need for socks was desperate, and each Red Cross chapter in the country was expected to produce 55,000 socks every three months. On the march or in the trenches, doughboys were frequently exposed to wet, cold conditions; their boots were minimally water repellant and wore out quickly. Dry, warm socks helped to prevent trench foot, a serious fungal disease which often led to amputation. Sadly, knitters were also required to make “stump socks” to cover amputated limbs.
Notes	Printer's name at bottom, center of sheet . Exhibited in "Over Here: World War I Posters from around the World" held at the Boston Athenaeum, September 10, 2014 - January 31, 2015.
Local notes	Gift; Bartlett H. Hayes; July 1985; 1985.31 (am. no.52)
Country of origin	United_States_USA
Link to library catalog	http://catalog.bostonathenaeum.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=500986
Link to Exhibit Page	http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/over-here-wwi-posters-from-around-the-world
Provenance	Hayes, Bartlett H., 1904-, donor
Subject	American National Red Cross--Posters. World War, 1914-1918--United States--Posters. World War, 1914-1918--War work--Red Cross--Posters. World War, 1914-1918--War work--Women--United States--Posters. World War, 1914-1918--Social aspects--United States--Posters. Soldiers--Clothing--Posters. Socks--Posters. Knitting--Pictorial works. Posters, American.
Genre terms	War posters--United States--1910-1920. Lithographs--United States--1910-1920. Chromolithographs--United States--1910-1920.
Location/Call number	Prints and Photographs Dept. (Appointment required) D 8A9ZU Usu.am.(no.52)
Source	American 15.tif
Rights	Collection of the Boston Athenaeum. May not be reproduced or quoted without written permission. For more information, see http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/node/46