In the early 20th century, American cities, particularly those in the Northeast, began staging historic pageants to promote cultural unity and a shared vision of the country’s past, both locally and nationally. Such events leaned heavily into the myth that America had been founded by a civilized agreement between European settlers and Native Americans that they would coexist peaceably. This poster reinforces that inaccurate history, showing William Penn (a Quaker who helped found the city of Philadelphia) standing authoritatively over an Indigenous figure and a faceless, blond colonizer. While both are kneeling, the Native American appears more submissive, stooped forward beneath Penn’s outstretched hand, while the other figure is only on one knee and appears more physically robust. These small artistic choices subtly establish the balance of power. While Penn is often seen as a leader who prioritized peace and promoted fair negotiations with Native Americans, his agreements, particularly with the Lenape, led to the mass displacement of those people in favor of European settlers. Here, he is presented as someone the people of Philadelphia can be proud of, reinforcing the myth that no one was harmed in the establishment of the city. By including a submissive Native man in this poster, the designer recasts political negotiations that were fraught with injustice as benevolent conquest. The composition, overflowing with quaint nostalgia, contributes to the historic normalization of the subjugation of Indigenous people, submitting it not just as inevitable but also as desirable.