WHY WAS THE UNITED STATES NICKNAMED UNCLE SAM?
by Annie Laura Smith

The iconic figure of Uncle Sam has been a constant of the American political landscape, and is a national symbol of the United States. Uncle Sam is the personification of America itself and is an image of patriotism. His red, white, and blue clothes represent the elements from the American flag. How did America become to be known by this nickname?

That designation began about 1812, and originated from the name of a government meat supplier and inspector, Samuel Wilson. He supplied meat to the troops during the War. When workmen saw the initials, U.S., stamped on the barrels of meat and wondered what these meant, the consensus was it must refer to the jovial Sam Wilson who was known as Uncle Sam. The popular image appeared some time later. The symbol, drawn by artist, Frank Henry Bellew, made its debut as a cartoon in human form on March 13, 1852, in the New York Lantern comic weekly.

Thomas Nast, one of the most popular artists of the 1800s, drew many of the first images of Uncle Sam. In 1916 J. W. Flagg drew the popular image of Uncle Sam as seen on the World War I and II recruiting posters with the message, I want you for U.S. Army. The artist portrayed Uncle Sam as a tall, white-haired man with a goatee. He wore red, white, and blue clothing, and had a top hat with stars. Flagg drew this picture as a cartoon portrait of his own features.

This image first appeared on the cover of Leslie's Weekly in July 1916 with the title "What Are You Doing for Preparedness?" Flagg based this image on a poster of British Lord Kitchener by Alfred Leeze, which Leeze drew three years earlier.

Historically Uncle Sam became a useful icon in cartoons. Newspapers world-wide used his image. Congress accepted Sam Wilson as the namesake behind the government’s Uncle Sam in 1961. The State of New York celebrates Uncle Sam Day annually on September 13th, Sam Wilson’s birthday.  Troy, New York, his hometown, is known as "The Home of Uncle Sam."  Sam.Wilson died at age 88 in 1854.  He could never have imagined that his name would live on in history with the iconic symbol of America as his namesake.