The Political Cartoons of Clifford K. Berryman

August 21, 2008 1:17 PM

The political cartoons of Clifford K. Berryman lampooned American politics from the era of Grover Cleveland to the Truman administration. If he's known today it's mostly for having originated the teddy bear. While some of his cartoons have scant relevance today, many remain surprisingly relevant. Of the many historical events he drew there are women's suffrage, the 1948 election and the 1912 Republican primaries between Taft and Roosevelt.
posted by Kattullus (10 comments total)

Here's more on the history of the teddy bear and it's simultaneous creation in the US and in Germany.
posted by Kattullus at 1:18 PM on August 21, 2008

Great find, thanks! I especially love the depiction of Ohio in the last link.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:19 PM on August 21, 2008

Thanks for that link, Kattullus, because I was looking at that cartoon and not knowing what the hell was going on.
posted by Dr. Send at 1:34 PM on August 21, 2008

...Anyone else having a problem getting the images themselves to load?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:37 PM on August 21, 2008

Afraid not, work fine for me. Love it. Thanks!
posted by absalom at 2:09 PM on August 21, 2008

Great stuff!
posted by languagehat at 2:16 PM on August 21, 2008

Does the image linked by "women's suffrage" have "VOTE FOR HILL...." written on the box? 'Cause that's a hell of a prediction...
posted by alexei at 2:34 PM on August 21, 2008

Cartoon joy. Thank you!
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 3:12 PM on August 21, 2008

alexei: Does the image linked by "women's suffrage" have "VOTE FOR HILL...." written on the box? 'Cause that's a hell of a prediction...

It's actually "vote for Hillquit" who was a Socialist candidate for Mayor of New York back when the Socialist party was a viable third party in parts of the US.
posted by Kattullus at 10:52 PM on August 21, 2008

And, anyone in the DC area can stop by the national archives and see the current exhibit featuring his cartoons.
posted by garlic at 12:13 AM on August 22, 2008