fun with archives!

the enemy is syphilis! no, wait... it's Nazis! No! Syphilis! Nazis! ......

Images in the public domain are a librarian's bestest friend. While perusing the Library of Congress's collection (living the dream, amiright?) in search of images for my business cards, I came across a series of comically disturbing WPA posters from before you were born. Here are a few highlights!

(Please know, that I don't think STDs are funny. They aren't. I think they're useless and awful and cast an unfair stigma on their victims. I agree wholeheartedly with the message of these posters in that you shouldn't let shame or ignorance deter you from seeking medical attention.)   

Ahem, that being said, I am just fascinated by these posters! They are a beautiful tribute to and reflection of the time in which they were produced. It's haunting to think of how bad the epidemic was that the government felt the need to commission these. If I seem to poke fun, I mean it harmlessly (see parenthetical disclaimer above).   

Here are some more....