Have you a Red Cross service flag 1918

Jessie Willcox Smith created this print in 1918, urging Americans to support the Red Cross during World War I. The image shows a child affixing a Red Cross service flag to a window, framed by festive curtains and a wreath, and it speaks to the organization's cultural presence in the US during wartime. Flags like this were often displayed to show that a household had contributed to the war effort. Smith was a successful magazine and book illustrator. Here she puts her skills to work on behalf of the Red Cross. Examining periodicals and organizational records from this period help us understand how these images functioned. They served as visual reminders of civic duty and were often tied to fundraising campaigns. Analyzing art like this through a social lens allows us to consider the complex relationship between visual culture, patriotism, and charitable giving during a critical period in American history.