You're a Liar—I Didn't Eat No Wahtermelon—Deed I Didn't
Elections--United States--1912
Political corruption--United States
Presidents--United States
Ink & Non-repo Pencil Drawing published in Puck. While Young was progressive in many things, cartoons like this one show that, whatever his personal attitudes may have been, he was willing to play to the attitudes of his audience with extremely racist imagery. Young depicts former President Theodore Roosevelt as an African American man surrounded by half-eaten watermelons labeled “campaign expenses.” This cartoon probably refers to the controversy that emerged in 1912 over campaign funds Roosevelt had received in 1904. The fact that Young has used a racist stereotype to comment on Roosevelt’s behavior reveals how pervasive these stereotypes were at the time.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
1912 September 10
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English
Political cartoon
2010.00399
What He Proposes to Do, Bell’s Special
Ink drawing. This early drawing signed with initials is something of a mystery. We know it came out of a large collection of drawings owned by Young, we know it was pinned to his studio wall, we know it is in his early style and that it is about Dr. Bell selling “Chicago breeze.”
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1893
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01776
Well Abe—So Far—People Ain’t Got Much Christmas Spirit
Christmas--United States
Depressions--1929--United States
Ink drawing. Young drew hundreds of gag cartoons during his life and often used racial or ethnic stereotypes in them. Readers of the day would have known that Abe and his well-dressed colleague talking about “Christmas spirit” were Jewish merchants. This is a mild stereotype cartoon compared to others by Young picturing Jewish lawyers, the Irish, and Blacks.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1930s
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01021
They Won’t Be Happy Till They Get It
Elections--Illinois--Chicago
Mayors--Illinois--Chicago
Ink drawing. Here, Young makes use of themes that had been popularized by the cartoonist Thomas Nast, whose Christmas illustrations of Santa Claus and children had become iconic images of the holiday. In Young’s drawing, the children with stockings hung by the fire are hardened Chicago politicians seeking the mayoralty while the city prepared for the World’s Columbian Exposition. Sleeping in the bed is the incumbent mayor, Republican Hempstead Washburne. Washburne had attended the October 21, 1892 dedication of The World’s Columbian Exposition, but after nearly three years of preparation, the fair grounds were not completed and the fair was not going to open in 1892. Believing he would not be reelected, Mayor Washburne chose not to seek another term in 1893, and the Republican nomination instead went to Samuel Allerton. Sitting on the bed expectantly are two politicians vying for the Democratic nomination: former mayor Carter Harrison, Sr. and the owner of the German-language newspaper Illinois Staats-Zeitung Washington Hesing. Harrison would receive the nomination, become mayor in April 1893, and open the Columbian Exposition on May 1, 1893.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1890-1897
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01635
The Sacred Bench
Political corruption--United States
United States. Supreme Court
Ink drawing. While William Howard Taft is primarily remembered as the twenty-seventh president of the United States (1909–1913), he actually served longer as chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1921–1930). Young’s cartoon refers to this later period of Taft’s career. Specifically, this cartoon is a reference to the $10,000 in interest Taft received annually for bonds he held in the United States Steel Corporation.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1923
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01260
The Republican Party Down to Date—
Presidents--United States
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
Ink drawing published in Art Young and Heywood Broun’s The Best of Art Young (New York: Vanguard Press, 1936). In this cartoon, Young criticizes Republican president Calvin Coolidge by comparing him to Lincoln. Lincoln is depicted as a tall, classical bust, while Coolidge is comically small and dressed in a business suit. This suggests that the leaders of the Republican Party have deteriorated from heroes like Lincoln to unremarkable men like Coolidge.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
1924
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01631
The Man Who Opposes the Sale of Dope
Drugs of abuse--United States
Journalism--United States
Ink drawing. This cartoon depicts William Randolph Hearst, a powerful publisher who, at the peak of his success, owned sixteen newspapers. The reporting in Hearst’s newspapers was often sensationalistic, a style which was eventually termed “yellow journalism.” Hearst’s newspapers launched the famous “reefer madness” campaign about the dangers of marijuana, and Young has taken the opportunity to liken Hearst to a peddler of a different kind of drug. A sign next to Hearst advertises “escape truth and reality… hypocrisy and sophistry for every occasion… Editorials to produce paralysis of thought,” and a smaller sign offers “Venom and hatred to kill labor unions.”
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
Undated
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.01405
The Issue that is Over and Above All Other Issues
Capitalism--United States |
Natural resources--United States |
Socialism--United States |
Ink & Crayon Drawing, 14 x 20.5 in. Caption: “The issue that is over and above all other issues; but Mr. Hoover and Mr. Smith do not choose to see it.” This item shows how Young’s socialist politics informed his cartoons on current events. Private ownership of public needs is depicted as a dragon brooding over things like forest, water power, schools, and railroads. The socialist candidate for president in 1928, Norman Thomas, arms himself with votes from labor in an effort to slay the dragon. Meanwhile, Young indicates in the caption, Republican presidential candidate Herbert Hoover and Democratic presidential candidate Al Smith ignore this private ownership, which is “over and above all other issues.”
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1928
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.02068
The Cabinet of Doctor Cali-Coolidge
Cabinet officers--United States
Presidents--United States
Ink drawing published in New Masses (New York). This cartoon refers to the 1920 German film Das Kabinett des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). Young has dressed President Coolidge as the sinister Dr. Caligari, echoed the cubist aesthetics of the film, and covered the cabinet with references to aspects of Coolidge’s presidency that Young found problematic. These include Coolidge’s dealings with organized labor, the Sacco and Vanzetti case, and his foreign policy towards Latin America.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
1927 December
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.00229
The Blow That Almost Killed a Cartoonist
Cartoonists--United States
Ink drawing. This self-portrait by Young comments on his perception of himself as an outsider in his profession. In 1914, Young was nominated for membership in the National Press Club, but was rejected. In Art Young: His Life and Times, Young writes that “my record was against me,” in part because of the libel suit brought against him by the Associated Press. A very similar drawing is featured in his autobiography; this may be a sketch for that cartoon.
Young, Art, 1866-1943
From the collection of Anthony J. Mourek
Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
c. 1914
jpg
English
Political cartoon
2010.00268