History Lines Sen. Bob Gordon's Walls

President's Day is a time to celebrate the contributions every American commander in chief has brought to the Oval Office, and the history they left behind.

For example, it was Woodrow Wilson (president from 1913-1921) who guided the U.S. when the sinking of the Luisitania on May 7, 1915 forced America’s participation in World War I. Ultimately, the Allied forces won the war, cementing Wilson’s place in this country's annals.

State Senator Bob Gordon (D-38) knows a thing or two about World War I, and in honor of this President's Day gave Patch a tour of his Fair Lawn Avenue office that is decorared with a collection of wartime posters.

Gordon explained that the U.S. did not have the benefit of radio, television, or the Internet to excite the public about the military.

“Instead they had newspaper and recruitment posters,” he said.

Today the recruitment posters are considered art, and Gordon, an admitted history buff, has collected them for the last three decades of his political career.

“I had read an ad in the New York Times about an auction that would help benefit the New Jersey Historical Society,” he said. “I attended and I was amazed.” 

Intermingled with Gordon's World War I posters are pictures of himself with famous political figures such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean, along with the campaign posters of Democratic presidential tickets from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to current President Barack Obama. However, Gordon said his love rests in the World War I posters.

He cited two artists—James Flagg and Howard Chandlery Christy—as his favorites.

“James Flagg is famous for creating the Uncle Sam ‘I want you’ poster,” said Gordon. “He based the image of Uncle Sam off of himself.” 

Gordon said the pose and the poster itself had actually been inspired by a British army recruitment poster that featured Lord Kitchener in a similar pose. 

“Howard Chandler Christy was another artist who painted several recruitment posters,” said Gordon.

Christy was famous for his artwork in the magazines of the day sucg as Life and The Saturday Evening Post. He is most famous for his portraits of women that have been called “Christy Girls.” 

“These guys were the rock stars of their day,” said Gordon.

Gordon explained that the significance of these posters and artists was to show that the American people had to pull together. 

“This is really the first war when industries, families and people were asked to sacrifice for the effort,” he said.

For example, to save rations, Americans would grow their own gardens, limiting the amount fish and meat they ate so they could send it to Americans serving in the military.

Gordon added that the posters of the past have almost eerie similarities with more recent events. For instance, a poster by Joseph Pennell features the Statue of Liberty standing over New York City as it burns. Above the airplanes of the German army are flying in victory.

The caption reads, “That Liberty Shall Not Perish from the Earth—Buy Liberty Bonds.”

“After 9/11, I saw this poster again and I thought that it could easily be something that is happening today,” he said. “It’s just amazing.” 

People would put the posters in a wide variety of places, Gordon said.

“People would put them on the sides of business, barns, wherever they could,” he said. “It is amazing how many people out there will still find them in attics.” 

Gordon said he collects the posters because they remind him of a time when America was its best.

“It is why I keep them up here,” he said.