American Political and Editorial Cartoons

A Research Guide

Introduction & Scope

Although originating in Europe, the editorial cartoon (also known as, political cartoon) has secured its irreverent place in American political and cultural history. Benjamin Franklin is credited with creating the first political cartoon printed in an American newspaper, the famous "Join or Die," published in the May 9, 1754 edition of the Pennsylvania Gazette. America has since produced a long line of artists--left, right, and center--idealists and cynics whose work has tried to keep politics honest; noted cartoonist Herbert Block (Herblock) has defined the editorial cartoonist as "the kid who points out that the Emperor is without his clothes." No matter how poorly drawn or how tasteless, a widely distributed cartoon attacking a public figure [can]not be ignored. It is one thing to read historians' accounts of what a devious leader 'President [the name of your choice here]' was and another to see--and sometimes feel right in your belly--page after page of cartoons dramatizing that opinion with dozens of different metaphors and allusions (Somers, 2002, p. 491).

This guide aims to serve as a general and introductory tool to assist users interested in finding resources and information on political and editorial cartoons about United States politics and American political figures; with a few exceptions, this guide does not include the works or collections of specific editorial or political cartoonists, nor does it specifically encompass resources on the closely related genre of caricature, or other types of cartoons or comic art.

Search Strategies

Most information resources pertaining to editorial and political cartoons fall into one of two broad categories: 1) the artistic elements of creating cartoons and/or the recognition or exhibition of these cartoons as art; and 2) the events and personalities in history that these cartoons parody and comment upon. To search library catalogs or databases for editorial and political cartoons, use some of these varied Key Search terms or Library of Congress Subject headings:

• Key Search terms	Library of Congress Subject headings
  American editorial cartoons	American wit and humor, Pictorial
  American political cartoons	Caricatures and cartoons-United States
  Editorial cartoons	Cartooning-United States
  Political cartoons	Editorial cartoons-United States
  Editorial cartoon collections	Political cartoons-United States
  Political cartoon collections	United States-History-Caricatures and cartoons
  	United States-Politics and government-Caricatures and cartoons
  	United States-Social conditions-Caricatures and cartoons

• To browse printed library collections, use the following classification ranges as guides:

• Dewey Decimal Classification ranges	Library of Congress Classifications ranges
  320s (Political science)	E183-183.3 (United States--History--Political history)
  741s (Drawing and drawings)	E743-743.5 (20th century--History--Poltical history)
  973s (United States)	E839.5-839.8 (Later 20th century--History--Political history)
  	NC1300-1700 (Drawing. Design. Illustration.--Pictorial humor, caricature, etc. )

Best overview sources

• Political and Editorial Cartoons in U.S. History

  http://melvil.chicousd.org/edpolcart.html

  This research guide developed, by a librarian at Chico High School in Chico, CA, provides a comprehensive list of links to other web sources addressing the art and social history of editorial and political cartoons in the United States; contains several links to collections of specific artists' cartoons, collections of cartoons related in topic, and a link to Puck's Cartoon Archive (a noted cartooning periodical).

• Pogel, N. and P. Somers, Jr. Editorial Cartoons. In M. T. Inge (Ed.), Handbook of American Popular Culture (2nd ed.) (Vol.1: Advertising-Graffiti). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1989.

  As its name implies, this chapter on editorial cartoons provides an extensive history of American editorial cartooning, reference works, research collections, history and criticism, anthologies and reprints, and a lengthy bibliography.

• Somers, P. P.  Editorial Cartooning and Caricature: a Reference Guide.  Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998.

  In addition to the greatly expanded content, Somers' includes a detailed index and five appendices of a selected chronology; how-to-books on editorial cartooning; a listing of theses and dissertations dealing with editorial cartoons; selected historic periodicals using editorial cartoons/graphics; and, a selected bibliography of single-artist anthologies.

• Somers, P.  Editorial Cartoons. In M. T. Inge & D. Hall (Eds.), Greenwood Guide to American Popular Culture: Editorial Cartoons Through Illustration (Vol. 2).  Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002.

  An update to the 1989 edition, Somers' chapter on 'Editorial Cartoons' presents an historical outline, list of relevant reference works and periodicals, bibliographies, trade and academic publications, and several anthologies of reprinted editorial and political cartoons.

Key works

This list of key works includes many of the most popular and widely-cited sources on editorial cartoons, as well as containing some of the most significant and iconic American political cartoon images.

• Fischer, R.  Them Damned Pictures: Explorations in American Political Cartoon Art.  North Haven, CT: Shoe String Press, 1996.

• Hess, S. and M. Kaplan. The Ungentlemanly Art: A History of American Political Cartoons . New York: MacMillan, 1968. Revised 1975.

• Hess, S. and S. Northrup.  Drawn & Quartered: the History of American Political Cartoons.  Montgomery, AL: Elliott & Clark Publishing, 1996.

• Hoff, S.  Editorial and Political Cartooning from Earliest Times to Present. New York, NY: Stravon Educational Press, 1976.

• Press, C. The Political Cartoon.  East Brunswick, NJ: Associated University Presses, 1981.

Periodicals

These periodicals, academic journals and trade publications showcase original political cartoons, reprint nationally-syndicated editorial cartoons, provide cartoon critiques and criticism, and/or discuss issues germane to the art and profession of cartooning.

• AAEC Notebook.  Raleigh, NC: Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, 1900s- (quarterly) [Also published under other titles: AAEC Newsletter, Notebook of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, Association of American Editorial Cartoonists notebook]

• Best editorial cartoons of the year.  Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 1974- (annual)

• Bull's eye; the Magazine of Editorial Cartooning. Lynnbrook, NY: Bull's Eye Publications, 1988- (monthly)

• Cartoon and editorial review.  Boston, MA: Cartoon Publishing Co., 1902- (monthly)

• Inks: Cartoon and Comic Art Studies. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 1994-1997 (quarterly)

• (National Forum's) Best editorial cartoons.  McLean, VA: American Publishing Corp., 1998- (semimonthly)

• Target. Warminster, PA: R.S. West; K.B. Mattern, Jr., 1981-1987 (quarterly) [Also published under title, Puck Papers, from 1978-1981].

Indexes and Bibliographies

• Lent, J. A. (Comp.)  Animation, Caricature, and Gag and Political Cartoons in the United States and Canada: an International Bibliography.  Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.

  This comprehensive bibliography contains separate chapters on illustrative/magazine cartoons and political cartoons; each chapter presents bibliographies on general studies, historical aspects, cartoonists and their works, anthologies, and, technical and legal aspects of cartooning and publishing.

• Expanded Academic ASAP (from InfoTrac) [an online subscription database]. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 1999-

  This database contains over 15 million journal articles from "scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images" across all academic disciplines. Authorized subscribers can search by keyword (see Key Search terms above), journal title, date, etc.--inquire about your library's access.

• Primary sources in history (from LexisNexis) [an online subscription database]. Dayton, OH: LexisNexis, 2000s-.

  This "database contains primary sources in American history including scholarly and reference articles, photographs, ...[and] political cartoons. Scholars at all levels may search by subject and controlled vocabulary or browse collections by document type. Updated quarterly." Access to this database is limited to subscribing institutions--inquire about your library's access.

• Sloane, D. E. E. (Ed.) (1987). American Humor Magazines and Comic Periodicals. New York, NY: Greenwood Press.

  This bibliography provides references for current and historical periodicals and newspapers published in the United States.

Exhibition Catalogues

• Blaisdell, Thomas C., et al. The American Presidency in Political Cartoons 1776-1976 . Berkeley: University Art Museum Press, 1976.

  This catalogue accompanied this exhibition of various artists, which ran from January 13-February 22, 1976 at the University of California, Berkeley.

• Block, H. Herblock's History: Political Cartoons from the Crash to the Millennium. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 2000.

  A catalogue of the retrospective exhibition of Herbert Block's art held in the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress from October 17, 2000, to February 17, 2001.

• Bredhoff, S.  Draw!  Political Cartoons from Left to Right.  Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1991.

  Catalogue of the National Archives exhibition celebrating the 200^th anniversary of the Bill of Rights (June 14, 1991-August 31, 1992).

Museums, Libraries & Special Collections

• Caroline and Erwin Swann Collection of Caricature and Cartoon

  http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/230_swan.html

  "The Caroline and Erwin Swann Collection of Caricature and Cartoon contains 2,085 drawings, prints, and paintings related to the art of caricature, cartoon, and illustration. The collection spans the years 1780 to 1977.The Swann Collection features a rich diversity of twentieth-century American and European cartoon drawings and includes images that reflect such aspects of society as political and economic conditions, social mores, employment, domestic life, families and children, relations between the sexes, and superheroes."

• Cartoon Research Library (from Ohio State University)

  http://cartoons.osu.edu/

  "The Cartoon Research Library's primary mission is to develop a comprehensive research collection of materials documenting American printed cartoon art (editorial cartoons, comic strips, comic books, graphic novels, sports cartoons, and magazine cartoons) and to provide access to these collections."

• The Clifford K. Berryman Political Cartoon Collection

  http://www.archives.gov/legislative/research/special-collections/berryman/

  "The Center for Legislative Archives maintains approximately 2,600 original pen-and-ink drawings by cartoonist Clifford K. Berryman from the U.S. Senate Collection. Berryman was one of Washington's best-known and most-admired graphic political commentators in the first half of the 20th century.  The cartoons comment on Washington politics, congressional issues, presidential elections, and both World Wars."

• Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA)

  http://www.moccany.org/index.html

  "The purpose of the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art will be the collection, preservation, study, education, and display of comic and cartoon art. Every genre of the art will be represented: animation, anime, cartoons, comic books, comic strips, gag cartoons, humorous illustration, illustration, political illustration, editorial cartoons, caricature, graphic novels, sports cartoons, and computer-generated art."

• National Cartoon Museum (formerly the International Museum of Cartoon Art)

  http://www.cartoon.org/

  "The Museum possesses the largest collection of publicly accessible cartoon art in the world. The collection consists of over 200,000 original drawings from all genres of cartoon art - comic strips, comic books, animation, editorial, advertising, sport, caricature, greeting cards, graphic novels, illustration, sculpture and other related disciplines."

Additional Web Resources

• Brief History of Political Cartoons

  http://xroads.virginia.edu/%7EMA96/PUCK/part1.html

  This page, from the University of Virginia, presents a detailed narrative documenting "particular highlights in the development of the artistic as well as editorial nature of the genre" from an international perspective.

• Politicalcartoons.com

  http://politicalcartoons.com/

• The "biggest database of political cartoons by the best political cartoonists in the world" is updated daily, searchable by keyword or date(s); all cartoons can be viewed for free. Registered members (registration is free) have the option to purchase re-printing rights or to hire an artist to create an original cartoon.

• Editorial Cartoonists List

  http://www.unitedfeatures.com/ufsapp/viewFeatureList.do?typeId=3

  The United Feature Syndicate and Newspaper Enterprise Association provide direct links to "the work[s] of award-winning editorial cartoonists from every political perspective."

Professional Associations & Conferences

These national and international associations exist to support and promote cartoonists and their creations.

• Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC)

  http://editorialcartoonists.com/

• AAEC Annual Convention

  http://editorialcartoonists.com/aaecweb/convention.cfm

• Graphic Artists Guild

  http://www.gag.org/index.php

• National Cartoonists Society (NCS)

  http://www.reuben.org/ncs/news.asp

• Political Cartoon Society

  http://www.politicalcartoon.co.uk/

• Society of Illustrators

  http://www.societyillustrators.org/

Key works in related areas:

These topical headings could be used as key search terms using the Indexes and Bibliographies (listed above) to locate additional information about these areas related to political and editorial cartoons.

Caricature:

• Heller, S., & Anderson, G.  The Savage Mirror, the Art of Contemporary Caricature.  New York, NY: Watson-Guptill, 1992.

• Nelson, R. P. Comic art & caricature. Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books, 1978.

• Nevins, A., & Weitenkampf, F. A Century of Political Cartoons: Caricature in the United States from 1800-1900.  New York, NY: Charles Scriber's Sons, 1944.

Editorial/Political Cartoonists, Caricature artists:

• Attack of the Political Cartoonists: Insights and Assaults from Today's Editorial Pages. Madison, WI: Dork Storm Press, 2004.

• Deur, L. Political Cartoonists. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner, 1972.

• Feaver, W. Masters of Caricature.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1981.

• Paine, A. B. Thomas Nast, his period and his pictures. New York: Chelsea House, 1980.

• Wood, A. Great Cartoonists and Their Art.  Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 1987.

 

Created by Rebecca Beasley -- December 5, 2005