You might be surprised by how the term Uncle Sam came to be

Who’s your Uncle Sam?

On Sept. 13, the U.S. recognizes Uncle Sam Day to commemorate Sam Wilson, the man behind the iconic image and fascinating nickname for the United States government who was born on Sept. 13, 1766.

The image of Uncle Sam as a personification of our nation and government is widespread and instantly recognizable.

The first symbol to have such significance was Columbia, a female figure (the name is derived from Christopher Columbus) and is still an often-used symbol of our country through the early 20th century. Columbia first appeared in 1738 to refer to the Thirteen Colonies that became the U.S., and was often depicted with Lady Liberty. The name is used in many cities across the U.S. and was chosen when the capital was named District of Columbia in 1801.

Uncle Sam didn’t become a popular figure in the culture with cartoons and illustrations until after the War of 1812. It’s a bit of a legend, but Uncle Sam is believed to be named after Samuel Wilson. Wilson served as a member of the Continental Army when he was a teen. Wilson went on to own a meat packing company that secured a contract to supply the U.S. troops in the War of 1812 with pork and beef barrels. Wilson became the meat inspector for the U.S. Army and a stamp on each barrel with U.S. was referenced to Uncle Sam. With Wilson’s familiarity with the troops, Uncle Sam became a friendly figure of speech to describe the U.S. government.

The look

Famous editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast didn’t originate the concept of Uncle Sam but he did create the modern image. He drew the character as a thin, tall long white hair and goatee with striped pants and the symbol stuck.

Nast was a German-born American editorial cartoonist often considered to be the “Father of the American Cartoon.” He was most prolific in the 1860s to 1880s. He opposed slavery during the Civil War. Nast created several other political symbols including the Republican Party’s elephant, Tammany Hall’s tiger, one of the most popular images of Santa Claus and popularized the Democratic Party’s donkey.

The poster above is artist James Montgomery Flagg’s version of Uncle Sam for World War I recruitment in 1917. Flagg was born in Pelham Manor, N.Y. 1877-died New York City 1960.

The government printed 4 million posters during 1917 and 1918 and the image was used again during World War II. There are numerous spin-offs of the poster.

Flagg’s 1917 poster was based on the original British Lord Kitchener poster in 1914.

Flagg used his own face for that of Uncle Sam (adding age and the white goatee), he said later, simply to avoid the trouble of arranging for a model.

At his peak, he and Norman Rockwell were some of the most successful illustrators. Flagg worked for The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s, which were two of the most popular U.S. journals.

Flagg gave his original drawing of the poster to the Smithsonian.

Symbol of liberty

The Statue of Liberty (its formal title is Liberty Enlightening the World) was a gift to the United States from the people of France. Dedicated in 1886, the statue shows Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom. Located in New York Harbor, the statue holds a torch in one hand and a tablet representing the law in the other. The date of the Declaration of Independence is inscribed on the tablet. A broken chain sits at Libertas’ feet. The statue is an iconic symbol of freedom. Protesters around the world have used the image of the statue in their struggles for political freedom; a replica was erected in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

The idea for the statue is thought to be conceived as early as 1865, when the French historian and abolitionist Édouard de Laboulaye proposed a monument to commemorate the upcoming centennial of U.S. independence in 1876.

Due to funding shortfalls and the size of the project it was not dedicated in New York until October 28, 1886.

The statue was administered by the United States Lighthouse Board until 1901, then by the Department of War until 1933 when the National Park Service took over its maintenance. It had its last restoration from 2011-2012.

Other national symbols

The Minuteman (American Revolution)

Brother Jonathan (New England)

Overmountain Men (Appalachians)

Kamehameha (Hawaii)

Bald Eagle

American Buffalo

Timber rattlesnake

Sources: Boston Museum of Art, Smithsonian, Britannica, Library of Congress Images are from the Smithsonian, National Archives and Public Domain