The Great War: June 21, 1917

June 20, 1917, had been Red Cross "Emblem Day" in Hudson. From 7 a.m. until 9 p.m., more than a hundred Hudson women dressed in Red Cross uniforms "accosted" people in the street to sell them Red Cross emblems and raise the city's share of the $100 million which was the national goal. The front page of the Hudson Evening Register for June 21, 1917, reported on the success of that effort.

Nearly $1,775 was realized on Emblem Day here yesterday. The return of cash last night actually broke all records for such a day in this city, $670 being the previous high-water mark.

When the gong sounded, closing the drive at 9 o'clock last night, more than $1,735 had been raised. Several contributions have subsequently been made and the committee hopes to make the actual count register at $2,000. To-day several persons who were not tagged yesterday made contributions at the headquarters on Warren street.

The sale of emblems started with a $100 contribution and closed last night with a $100 contribution. At the Playhouse last night it was announced from the stage that $1,600 had been realized with more coming in. A patriotic Hudson young woman thought that the last emblem sold for the day should equal the price of the first and through this act of generosity $100 more was added just as the headquarters closed for the night.

Using an inflation calculator, Gossips discovered that $100 in 1917 is the equivalent today of nearly $2,000 ($1,910.34). The amount raised for the Red Cross in Hudson on Emblem Day, $1,775, is the equivalent in 2017 of $33,908.60.

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