1974 Osceola
DESCRIPTION
A dramatic portrait of Osceola, the Seminole leader whose resistance to forced removal made him a prominent figure in the struggle for Indigenous sovereignty in Florida.
Osceola (c. 1804–1838) emerged as a leading figure in Seminole resistance to United States efforts to remove the Seminole people from Florida in the 1830s. During the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), he helped lead campaigns against federal troops but was captured in 1837 while approaching U.S. forces under a flag of truce. He died the following year in captivity at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. The poster depicts a full-length historical portrait of Osceola in Seminole dress, wearing feather ornaments and holding a long firearm. An intense orange ground, enormous black block lettering, and a patterned border along the left side give the image a distinctive 1970s appearance.
Published in 1974 by the Perfection Form Company of Logan, Iowa, the work belongs to a series of twelve educational prints depicting prominent Native American figures and aspects of Indigenous history. Originally produced as classroom teaching materials, the posters combine historical imagery with bold typography and vivid colors characteristic of 1970s graphic design. Original examples are scarce on the market, and a complete set of twelve is preserved in the Special Collections of Johns Hopkins University's Sheridan Libraries.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622