1919 Colored Man Is No Slacker
the Vintage Map Shop, Inc.
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By: Edward George Renesch
Date of Original: 1919 (dated) Chicago
Original Size: 20 x 16 inches
This is a fine print reproduction of a World War I recruitment poster urging African American men to answer their patriotic duty and enlist in the United States Army.
The composition centers on a young Black couple embracing in farewell, while a regiment of African American soldiers marches in formation behind them, visually linking personal sacrifice with collective service. Titled “The Colored Man Is No Slacker,” the poster confronts the idea that avoiding enlistment, whether through draft evasion or inaction, was a moral failing.
The word slacker carried particular weight during the war and is echoed in a contemporary poem by 17-year-old African American writer Ada Peters. Her verses condemn those who shirk duty while others bleed in defense of freedom, reinforcing the poster’s message that service was both an honor and an obligation.
God forbid ere man was born, To crush honor beneath his feet That the light of day should dawn, Upon one, who from duty flees While on Freedom’s Bleeding Alter, His Noble Comrades have bled But he stands idle a slacker, Disgraced before living and dead.
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, approximately 20,000 African Americans initially enlisted, with more than 700,000 registering for service after the Selective Service Act. Despite their willingness to fight, Black soldiers were excluded from the Marines and largely confined to segregated units, many assigned to support Allied forces in Europe. African Americans served in a wide range of roles including infantry, cavalry, engineering, medical, and transportation units.
Together, the imagery and message of this poster stand as a powerful assertion of African American patriotism during World War I, while also highlighting the contradictions between loyal service abroad and the unequal treatment faced at home.
Inventory #92339