American Red Cross. Our Boys Need Sox. Knit Your Bit.
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
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