PR254

World War I Recruiting Poster
"Colored Man is No Slacker"

In this poster, a World War I infantryman bids farewell to his sweetheart while his comrades march carrying their nation's flag. Despite conflicting opinions on the war, and segregation and prejudice in the military, more then 350,000 African Americans served in World War I, soundly confirming the slogan on this military recruitment poster: "The Colored Man Is No Slacker." Though the slogan prevailed, many Black men were drafted and had no choice but to serve. In 1917, 36 percent of African Americans were placed in the highest draft category (Class I) compared to 24 percent of white men. By war’s end, the military had inducted approximately 33 percent of Black draft registrants compared to roughly 25 percent of whites. Paradoxically, about half of all Black World War I soldiers served stateside, largely as laborers in uniform, with little hope of receiving combat training and deploying to France.

This rarely found poster is entitled, "COLORED MAN IS NO SLACKER". It was published in 1918 by S.G. Renesch of Chicago (thus printed in lower left hand corner), and is one of only two WWI recruitment posters that were published for the purpose of encouraging the enlistment of male African-Americans. ​