James Montgomery Flagg Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids James Montgomery Flagg
James Montgomery Flagg, 1915, photographed by Arnold Genthe
Born	(1877-06-18)June 18, 1877 Pelham, New York, U.S.
Died	May 27, 1960(1960-05-27) (aged 82) New York City, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	artist and illustrator

James Montgomery Flagg (born June 18, 1877 – died May 27, 1960) was a famous American artist. He was known for his paintings, cartoons, and especially his posters. Many people remember him best for his powerful political posters, like the famous "I Want YOU for U.S. Army" poster.

Life and Art Career
Legacy and Recognition
- Honoring His Contributions
- Historic Home
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

Life and Art Career

Early Life and Drawing Talent

James Montgomery Flagg was born in Pelham, New York, on June 18, 1877. He loved to draw from a very young age. By the time he was 12, his drawings were already being published in national magazines. When he was 14, he became an artist for Life magazine. The next year, he joined the team at another magazine called Judge.

Art Studies and Illustrations

From 1894 to 1898, James studied art at the Art Students League of New York. He then traveled to London and Paris to study fine art from 1898 to 1900. After returning to the United States, he became a very busy artist. He created many illustrations for books, magazine covers, and even humorous cartoons. He also drew pictures for advertisements. One of his creations was a comic strip called Nervy Nat, which appeared regularly in Judge magazine.

The Famous Uncle Sam Poster

In 1917, James Montgomery Flagg created his most famous artwork. It was a poster designed to encourage people to join the United States Army during World War I. The poster showed Uncle Sam pointing directly at the viewer. Below him were the words, “I Want YOU for U.S. Army”. This idea was inspired by a similar British poster featuring Lord Kitchener.

Flagg first drew this image for a magazine cover in 1916. Over four million copies of the Uncle Sam poster were printed during World War I. It became so popular that it was used again during World War II. Flagg later said he used his own face as the model for Uncle Sam. He added age and a white goatee to his own features. He did this to save time and avoid finding a model. President Franklin D. Roosevelt even praised Flagg for being so clever!

The grave of James Montgomery Flagg in Woodlawn Cemetery

A Successful Illustrator

At the height of his career, James Montgomery Flagg was one of the highest-paid magazine illustrators in America. He worked for popular magazines like Saturday Evening Post and Collier's. In 1946, he wrote a book about his life called Roses and Buckshot.

Besides his illustrations, Flagg also painted portraits of famous people. His portraits showed the influence of another great artist, John Singer Sargent. Flagg painted portraits of people like Mark Twain and Ethel Barrymore. His painting of boxer Jack Dempsey is now in the National Portrait Gallery.

James Montgomery Flagg passed away on May 27, 1960, in New York City. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Legacy and Recognition

Honoring His Contributions

James Montgomery Flagg's work is still remembered today. At Fort Knox, a military base in Kentucky, there is a parade field named in his honor. It is called Flagg Field and is located behind the Fort Knox Hotel. Fort Knox is also where the U.S. Army Recruiting Command is located, which makes the field's name very fitting.

Historic Home

Flagg spent his summers in Biddeford Pool, Maine. His home there, known as the James Montgomery Flagg House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.

Gallery

Illustration in St. Nicholas Illustrated magazine, January 1898.
President McKinley, illustration in Vanity Fair magazine, 1899
The World (As Seen By Him), 1905
The Smart Set (Magazine cover) 1911
The cover of the popular novel Officer 666 by Barton Currie and Augustin MacHugh, 1912
Flagg's famous Uncle Sam recruitment poster
Uncle Sam Boys and Girls! 1917 war poster
Uncle Sam with empty Treasury
Columbia urges planting victory gardens
The Navy Needs You! Don't Read American History, Make It!
Wake Up America, Civilization Calls Every Man Woman and Child!
Together We Win
(World War I)
World War II US Army poster showing Uncle Sam holding spanner. Presumably released between VE day and VJ day.
Wake Up America Day on April 19, 1917 with Jean Earle Mohle dressed as Paul Revere
Judge cover from 1923. Flagg was a prolific cover artist for Judge.