Hobo Symbols From The Great Depression: The Secret Language Of America’s Itinerant Workers » Design You Trust — Design Daily Since 2007
Hobo Symbols From The Great Depression: The Secret Language Of America’s Itinerant Workers – Design You Trust — Design Daily Since 2007

Hobo Symbols From The Great Depression: The Secret Language Of America’s Itinerant Workers

In 1972 American industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss (March 2, 1904 – October 5, 1972) published The Symbol Sourcebook, A Comprehensive Guide to International Graphic Symbols.

“A ready reference aid and an inspiration to designers . All in all the best book now available on symbols.” –Library Journal.

This visual database of over 20,000 symbols provided a standard for industrial designers around the world. He included a section of 60 hobo signs, used by ‘transient working class men and women who traveled by train to communicate with one another in the Great Depression, late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

“This unparalleled reference represents a major achievement in the field of graphic design. Famed industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss recognized the importance of symbols in communicating more quickly and effectively; for many years he and his staff collected and codified graphic symbols as they are used in all walks of life throughout the world. The result is this “dictionary” of universally used graphic symbols. Henry Dreyfuss designed this sourcebook to be as practical and easy to use as possible by arranging the symbol information within ingeniously devised sections: Basic Symbols represents a concise and highly selective grouping of symbols common to all disciplines (on-off, up-down, etc.).

Disciplines provides symbols used in accommodations and travel, agriculture, architecture, business, communications, engineering, photography, sports, safety, traffic controls, and many other areas. Color lists the meanings of each of the colors in various worldwide applications and cultures. Graphic Form displays symbols from all disciplines grouped according to form (squares, circles, arrows, human figures, etc.) creating a unique way to identify a symbol out of context, as well as giving designers a frame of reference for developing new symbols.”

More: Amazon h/t: flashbak, we find wildness

Jules J. Wanderer noted in his 2001 paper ‘Embodiments of bilateral asymmetry and danger in hobo signs’ one way these signs worked was by tapping into the American brain’s natural bias for right over left:

“For example, paths, roads, or trails were not marked with words indicating they were ‘preferred directions’ to travel or places to be ‘avoided.’ Instead objects were marked with hobo signs that discursively differentiate paths and roads by representing them in terms of bilateral asymmetry, with right-handed directions, as convention dictates, preferred over those to the left.”

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Design You Trust Facebook page. You won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Vintage Photos Of Two-Faced German Microcar Zündapp Janus From The Late 1950s

"Us and Them": The Superb Concept Art Works by Fedor Titov

Five Steps to Easily Create Facial Animation

This Artist Inks People With Micro Pop Culture Tattoos, And Here Are His Best Works

Well of Eternity: Stunning Sci-Fi Concept Artworks of Sung Choi

Striking Fashion Photos Paired with Nature Scenes They're Inspired By

This Guy Photoshops Himself Into Movie Posters And The Results Are Hilarious

Someone Created Words To Describe Weird Things And Situations

Exploring the Delicious Slices of London: A Look at Cafes from the 1980s

Portraits Of The Double-Faced Girl By Sebastian Bieniek

"Gospel of the Dog": Russian Ophthalmologist Creates Dark Sci-Fi & Fantasy Pencil Illustrations

IKEA Shares Their Iconic Meatballs Recipe And It Consists Of Only 6 Steps

Smells Like The 70s: Vintage Deodorant Advertising

Canadian Artist Draws Pictures That Are As Warm As A Cup Of Hot Chocolate

Artist Makes Soft and Syrupy Typography Visuals that Flow and Mutate

AI-Generated Images for the Annual Beaver Shaving Competition

Once Upon The Time: A Project Where Modern Meet Retro

Illustrator Imagines What Stranger Things Characters Are Doing Now, 33 Years Later

Symphogear Art Designer Thomas Romain Redraws Sons' Character Designs

You Will Be Amazed By This Super Cool Looking Land Rover Defender D90 'Retro Vibes'

Artist Illustrates Honest Feelings That We Keep To Ourselves In 22 Candy Heart Comics

Body Painting Illusions – The Latest Creations Of Hikaru Cho

This Artist Paints Icons from Star Wars as Renaissance War Generals and Religious Figures

Sarcastic ‘Texts From Your Existentialist’ That Might Make You Laugh, Then Cry

New McDonald's Dual Lane Drive-Thru Poster Campaign

The Real Power Of Healing Crystals

Russian Artist Pepelangelo Turns Pepe The Frog Into Masterpiece Paintings

Fortuna Todisco

Inside Outside: Performance Art in Public Spaces by Thierry Mandon

This Real-Life Rapunzel From Latvia Has Hair 90 Inches Long