2010.54.9551

Poster is printed on yellow paper with black text and image. In the center is an image of a man with wings standing on the world holding up a peace symbol in one hand and telephone wires in the other. Behind him is a banner which reads, "CNVA Telephone War Tax Refusal Campaign." Poster reads, "Hang Up on War/ Refuse to pay 10% Federal excise tax added to your phone bill that goes for the Vietnam War/ Committee for noviolent action, 5 Beekman St., Room 1033, New York."The CNVA was one of the first American peace groups to focus on nonviolent direct action including civil disobedience, starting in 1957. This campaign challenged a little-known tax instituted to help pay for the Spanish-American War. When passed in 1898, it was seen as a luxury tax because few Americans made long distance phone calls, but the 3% (not 10% as the poster claims) military revenue source persisted until 2006. [LMC]