“Printed for Gratuitous Distribution”: Nationalist Propaganda in 1860s America

Abstract: Nationalist propaganda has emerged as a pressing issue for the United States in the Internet age, but many do not realize just how deep its roots are. This workshop will discuss the network of nationalist propaganda-producing organizations that emerged in the era of the American Civil War, a period in which persuading audiences to subscribe to a particular set of nationalist ideals had major political benefits. In addition to addressing propaganda scholarship and the period’s propaganda landscape generally, this workshop will focus on the activities of a particular organization—the Union League of Philadelphia’s Board of Publication. This organization left unusually detailed documentation of its propaganda activities, allowing for in-depth analysis of its goals and strategies. This case study included a discussion of the organization’s means and methods, messages, and its production and distribution of propaganda. Through this case study, attendees learned about the character and power dynamics of propaganda initiatives in this period.

Speaker Bio:

Louis Reed-Wood is a PhD candidate in the University of Toronto’s Department of History with a Collaborative Specialization in Book History & Print Culture. His research focuses on propaganda in nineteenth-century America. He is also the creator and host of Off-Campus History, a podcast in which he interviews fellow historians about public-oriented representations of history, including films, games, and museums.