The American Issue, May 4, 1917

The American Issue, May 4, 1917

The children in this comic represent the idealized American family as healthy, white, and able-bodied. They are not portrayed as dimwitted or disabled, but as strong and capable. They hold a sign declaring that children should not suffer because of their parents' actions, and the solution presented is the elimination of alcohol for the greater good. Like many other prohibition-era images, this one uses parental guilt, emphasizing how drinking harms children’s futures.

The comic also reflects eugenicist beliefs by implying that disabled children are burdens on society, further promoting the idea that only "ideal" children are desirable.

The image shows two children holding a sign that reads, "BABY WEEK! EVERY BABY HAS A RIGHT TO BE WELL BORN. ALCOHOL CURES POSTERITIY." . One boy and a girl, and they appear to be were healthy and happy possibly meaning that they could be the ideal children to have.

The American Issue (Westerville, Ohio)

Library of Congress

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

May 4, 1917

Public Domain

PDF

English

Newspaper Image with Text.

Library of Congress Control Number: sn2008060406

Prohibition

Front newspaper page

14.97 × 22.51 in