More than just eye-catching, these historic posters reveal snapshots of the African American civil rights journey.  Our family's companies, and those of its successors, printed sporting event posters for Negro League baseball, the Harlem Globetrotters, and boxing matches featuring Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Mike Tyson. Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, B.B. King, Shirley Caesar, political posters for Martin Luther King, “Stop Work Day” and other protests, Little Richard, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Sisters, Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Prince, Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, Public Enemy, Harlem Burlesque Theatre, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), GO-GO, and Hip Hop. For a century, these were the go-to printers for entertainers, activists, and promoters in Black communities across the nation. 

Through our research, we learned that Martin Luther King, Jr. worked at our family's plant in Atlanta after school while attending Morehouse!  We are proud to know that Dr. King and our uncle maintained a relationship over the years as our family helped him to fundraise and printed many of his Civil Rights posters, including the famous “I AM A MAN” poster.

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People Get Ready includes unique perspectives from civil rights scholars on Jim Crow, the Chitlin’ Circuit, segregated venues and beaches, music and entertainment historians, poster collectors, as well as those who study graphic design. The style of Globe’s posters is readily identifiable and taught to art students today at the Maryland College Institute of Art (MICA).

And finally, the book will provide context to the historic events depicted in the posters with relevant newspaper headlines of the era and vignettes of athletes, entertainers, and activists who helped drive the civil rights movement.  The book also offers a sense of the era through excerpts from the leading civil rights anthem songs these performers sang.  Through these posters, People Get Ready tells stories of Pride, Prejudice, Protest, and Promise.