(Quoted from Marshall Atkinson's blog, atkinsontshirt. Full article here.)

Ben Franklin famously helped birth the United States, but before he was an omnipotent statesman sorting out the myriad of Founding Father challenges did you know he also was a t-shirt printer?

That’s right!  I recently read all about it on a website from an article written by Abe Lincoln.  Evidently, next to his letterpress that he used to create Poor Richard’s Almanac and other promotional items for his revolutionary friends and chamber of commerce buddies, was a six color automatic.  He printed all sorts of items, and most included a lot of his legendary witty sayings.  He ran a small, but busy shop in downtown Philly.  I think he also had a kiosk cart next to Paul Revere’s silver shop in the mall.

It’s a little known fact that he was responsible for the “Keep Calm & Carry On” meme, as he branded his kite with it during his electricity experiments.  I didn’t believe it at first, either.  Now at least we know who to blame.

Just when you thought you knew the guy responsible for creating the lending library, bifocal eyeglasses, and one of the first fire departments in America, some of his original versions of his quotes have surfaced in an old, dusty journal.  I’d thought I’d share some that were most relevant to the decorated apparel industry.  Enjoy!

Click here to read the full article from Marshall Atkinson