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During World War II, the painter, illustrator, and cartoonist William Gropper offered his services to the U.S. Treasury Department and the White House’s Office of War Information. He received a “Citation in recognition of fine assistance” from the Treasury Department and personal thanks from Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for “giving pictorial form to specific war information objectives” through propaganda posters and paintings.
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In 1945 Gropper painted, “America: It’s Folklore”, and between 1946 and 1953, the State Department’s Overseas Library Program collected and distributed some 1,744 copies to disseminate “facts and solidly documented explanations of the United States.”
The 34-by-23-inch pictorial map was published by Associated American Artists, and sold by mail for $5, in the NY Times, Life, and other popular publications.
The State Dept loved it.
Teachers loved it.
Librarians loved it.
The people loved it.
Joe McCarthy didn’t love it.
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Gropper was subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
Chief counsel Cohn asking, “Are you a member of the Communist Party?” As far as Cohn and McCarthy were concerned,
they already knew the answer. But after the artist invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer so as not to bear
witness against himself, Cohn pressed:
Mr. Cohn: Are you the William Gropper who has prepared various maps?
Mr. Gropper: I don’t understand that question. Prepared various maps?
Mr. Cohn: Did you prepare a map entitled “America, Its Folklore”?
Mr. Gropper: Have you got the map here?
Mr. Cohn: No; I don’t have the map here. Did you prepare a map entitled “America, Its Folklore”?
Mr. Gropper: I painted a map on American folklore, yes.
Gropper explained that he had received an advance from Associated American Artists, but that “no royalties came in.”
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Gropper earned the dubious distinction of being among the first blacklisted artists in McCarthy-era America.
Joe McCarthy was a bad man, a very very bad man, a prototype for many later scumbag politicians.
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