Catalogue Number
NMLH.2023.108
Object Name
Poster
Title
Which side are you on?
Date
1972-1982
Description
The Poster Collective was a collective formed in 1971 at the Slade School of Art,  a group formed to initially produce posters in response to the miners strike and on the wars in both Vietnam and Ireland. It was formed on the basis of developing a coherent visual style, which addressed the political issues of the time. This included the armed struggles against colonialism in Africa, the struggle of women for equal rights and the continuing struggle against racism. The collective was active in the 70's and 80's, producing posters on a wide range of issues, including for educational purposes. The group was not-for-profit and used a variety of hand-printing techniques to create their posters. This poster features an image of women standing at a picket line holding placards reading "we want a contract!", "More money means better living conditions", and "We'll hold this line till hell freezes over". The poster also features music and lyrics from the iconic labor song "Which Side Are You
On?" which was written by Appalachian activist Florence Reece in 1931. The poster reproduces some of the songs lyrics "Come all of you good workers, good news to you. I'll tell, of how the good old union has come here to dwell. Which side are you on? Which side are you on?". It also features a large image of Sara Ogan Gunning, a singer and songwriter from the coal mining country of Eastern Kentucky. Text at the bottom of the poster reads "if only you was a holding out for union pay and union hours, and was a setting out on the side of the road a waiting for all the big boys to make up their one track mind, and then all at once a car full of pistol packing papas sailed up in a big black sedan, and chased you into your house, and raided it, and beat your head in like a Thanksgiving Pumpkin, and- maybe if they even done this to your neighbour or some of your folks- maybe you could write a song. That's where songs come from."
