The Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University (DSU) is pleased to announce the addition of political cartoonist, historian, and author Rick Marschall to the team. As cartoon archivist, Marschall will add comments and context to the more than 3,000 political cartoons already part of the Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. He will also advise and assist in the acquisition of new materials, and will write longer articles on cartoonists and political cartooning.
“The cartoons of that time are like a language that needs to be translated for us,” says Sharon Kilzer, project manager of the Theodore Roosevelt Center. “Just as we recognize popular and political figures in the cartoons of our time, so would readers of Puck and other magazines have known the characters in their cartoons. But we don’t know the people, and often we don’t understand the issues being depicted. With his expertise, Rick is going to help translate for us.”
One of the first items Marschall has described is the well-known cartoon by Homer Davenport, “He’s good enough for me.” Marschall explains Davenport’s changing attitude toward Theodore Roosevelt – highly critical during his early career, but an advocate by 1904, as evidenced by Uncle Sam’s endorsement of Roosevelt for the presidency in the cartoon.
“Bled” by Udo Keppler is another recently updated item. The cartoon depicts leading political figures giving a blood transfusion to the “protected monopoly” by increasing tariffs. In Marschall’s commentary, he cites the Payne-Aldrich tariff revision act and how unpopular it was with voters, particularly farmers.
“I have admired the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Center for some time,” Marschall says, “and I am delighted to be able to contribute to it. A comprehensive archive of all the cartoons about Theodore Roosevelt fills a real need. Roosevelt’s career long has been documented, but largely in letters, state papers and printed works. The cartoonists’ ‘footprints’ that captured his presidency and his personality are essential, and deserve documentary attention no less. This archive will be an invaluable resource to scholars around the world and for generations to come.”
Rick Marschall is the author or editor of more than 70 books, including Bully! The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt, a biography illustrated with more than 250 vintage political cartoons. He also serves on the advisory board of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
To view the cartoons in the digital library, visit www.dickinsonstate.edu/trcartoons.
The Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University is creating a comprehensive digital library of all things Roosevelt, including correspondence, newspaper clippings, personal and office diaries, sound and film recordings, and political cartoons. To learn more about the Center, or to access any of the 57,000 items available to date, visit www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org.
