Life — June 24, 1920 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is the cover of Life magazine's "Pilgrims' Number" from June 24, 1920, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims' 1620 landing at Plymouth Rock. The image shows a figure in Pilgrim attire (tall hat, collar) whose face is obscured by a large glass or transparent barrier labeled "CHEERIO." The design cleverly juxtaposes 1620 and 1920, suggesting a comparison between the historical Pilgrims and modern America. The barrier obscuring the Pilgrim's face likely satirizes how Americans in 1920 viewed their Pilgrim heritage—as something distant, unclear, or obscured by time and intervening centuries. The "cheerio" caption (British slang for goodbye/cheers) may suggest ironic distance from the serious historical legacy these founders represented.