Themes
“A cartoon does not tell everything about a subject. It’s not supposed to. No written piece tells everything either. As far as words are concerned, there is no safety in numbers. The test of a written or drawn commentary is whether it gets at an essential truth.”
—Herblock (1909–2001)
Herblock Looks at Communism
In his very first publication, Herblock Looks at Communism, political cartoonist Herbert L. Block (1909–2001) warned the world of the dangers of government tyranny and limited free speech. This selection of cartoons from 1951 shows how Herblock continued to focus on countries ruled by the Communist Party, including North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union. He used a range of visual metaphors including the Asian tiger and the dragon as well as dismal swamps and an abyss to drive home his concerns. Read more about Herblock Looks at Communism »
Herblock Looks at 1961: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons
For many Americans, the tensions of 1961—conflicts between East and West, the use of nuclear weapons and traditional warfare, political battles between conservatives and liberals, and issues concerning civil rights and segregation—played out forcibly throughout the rest of the decade. This selection of political cartoons by Herblock shows how his fear of nuclear annihilation led to the creation of some of his best work that year. He also addressed economic stagnation, suffrage for residents of Washington, D.C., civil rights, and the space race. Read more about Herblock Looks at 1961: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons »
Herblock Looks at 1962: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons, Part I
During the second year of his presidency in 1962, President John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) pushed his national and international agenda. At home, he attempted to implement new policies that met with partisan opposition: assisting the unemployed, passing a jobs bill, and creating Medicare. Abroad, he increased military presence in Vietnam and he faced the Soviet Union’s premier Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971) in a nuclear showdown known as the “Cuban Missile Crisis” in October 1962. The disarmament talks in Geneva did not go well and the doomsday clock ticked closer to midnight, signaling the increased likelihood of nuclear war. Read more about Herblock Looks at 1962: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons, Part I »
Herblock Looks at 1962: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons, Part II
In 1962, the second year of his presidency, John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) used his executive authority to impose economic and social change in the United States. He fought resistance from both Congress and the American people and moved forward with his program, called the “New Frontier,” to eradicate poverty, inequality, and prejudice. His administration successfully enforced desegregation at the University of Mississippi. It mandated that American industry benefit the American people. Kennedy persuaded Congress to stimulate the stagnant economy by ordering tax cuts. He also sided publicly with the Supreme Court ruling against school prayer. Read more about Herblock Looks at 1962: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons, Part II »
Herblock Looks at 1963: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons
In 1963, during the third and final year of his presidency, John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) faced repeated opposition to his legislative initiatives. Republicans rebuffed his calls for a lasting peace and argued against the signing of a nuclear test ban treaty with the Soviet Union. When he wanted to offer tax cuts to reduce economic stagnation, Kennedy fought with his own political party in the Democrat-controlled Congress. His efforts to increase resources for schoolchildren and to protect the wilderness met with resistance from both political parties. Congress resisted most strongly, however, Kennedy’s attempts to improve the lives of African Americans. Read more about Herblock Looks at 1963: Fifty Years Ago in Editorial Cartoons »