Archives, along with museums and libraries have been serving as the institution that stores and disseminates memory for future generations. Historically, these repositories have generally enjoyed their unchallenged position as a cultural institution where people had to visit in order to learn, explore, and be entertained. These institutions have traditionally displayed their holdings in a static, physical exhibit that Gail Casterline claims to have the potential to
"…encourage people to study the past and to save and donate items of historical interest; teach them something about the nature of archival and historical work; inform them of new acquisitions; tell an interesting story; commemorate an important event; and make a major contribution …show more content…
As the title of the exhibit hints, it features numerous posters and audio files used during the World War II time period. It is an online exhibit of selected objects from a more extensive, physical exhibit that was presented in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, from May 1994 to February 1995. Reflecting the original exhibit, the online exhibit is also divided into two parts, representing the two main psychological approaches that was used by the government at the time to rally for public support. In a way, this is a unique exhibit that the NARA can best showcase because it was indeed the government that spearheaded the wartime propaganda industry. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government. Therefore, it is perhaps the best or the only host institution that can showcase the evidence of how the US government launched an aggressive propaganda campaign on its citizens to articulate goals and strategies to galvanize public support and how it recruited some of the nation's foremost intellectuals, artists, and filmmakers to wage the war on that front. Some of the posters that are displayed may not be rare or unique and may have been seen at other physical sites and websites. However, this exhibit is important nonetheless as it suggests a unique story and a perspective on how the US government waged and fought a psychological warfare at home to win the support of American citizens. This may not be the most popular topic that is examined when studying the World War II in history, but this exhibit demonstrates that it is an important topic and a significant portion of American
"…encourage people to study the past and to save and donate items of historical interest; teach them something about the nature of archival and historical work; inform them of new acquisitions; tell an interesting story; commemorate an important event; and make a major contribution …show more content…
As the title of the exhibit hints, it features numerous posters and audio files used during the World War II time period. It is an online exhibit of selected objects from a more extensive, physical exhibit that was presented in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, from May 1994 to February 1995. Reflecting the original exhibit, the online exhibit is also divided into two parts, representing the two main psychological approaches that was used by the government at the time to rally for public support. In a way, this is a unique exhibit that the NARA can best showcase because it was indeed the government that spearheaded the wartime propaganda industry. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government. Therefore, it is perhaps the best or the only host institution that can showcase the evidence of how the US government launched an aggressive propaganda campaign on its citizens to articulate goals and strategies to galvanize public support and how it recruited some of the nation's foremost intellectuals, artists, and filmmakers to wage the war on that front. Some of the posters that are displayed may not be rare or unique and may have been seen at other physical sites and websites. However, this exhibit is important nonetheless as it suggests a unique story and a perspective on how the US government waged and fought a psychological warfare at home to win the support of American citizens. This may not be the most popular topic that is examined when studying the World War II in history, but this exhibit demonstrates that it is an important topic and a significant portion of American