John T. McCutcheon Papers, 1895-1947
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949
- Abstract:
- Papers of the American political cartoonist and war correspondent including over 600 original cartoons, writings, biographical material, published material and a scrapbook of clippings from World War I.
- Extent:
- 10.83 linear ft.
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
John T. McCutcheon Papers,
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The John T. McCutcheon Papers are divided into five series containing both visual and textual works by McCutcheon as well as biographical information.
Cartoons contains a total of approximately 663 original editorial cartoons (circa 1904-1945) drawn by McCutcheon for the Chicago Tribune as well as two copies. There are 254 dated cartoons. Within the 409 undated cartoons there are approximately 155 items with captions and approximately 254 items without captions.
Of particular interest are two copies of McCutcheon's 1931 cartoon, "A Wise Economist Asks the Question" which won the Pulitzer Prize. Topical subject matter receiving frequent attention by McCutcheon includes World War I and its aftermath (particularly Europe’s war debt), the implementation of the income tax in 1913, the increasing pervasiveness of Henry Ford’s automobile, the decision to join the League of Nations and the Mexican Revolution. While focusing primarily on national and world politics, McCutcheon also documented changes to Chicago’s political and physical landscape in terms of building projects and transportation. Recurring themes include “The Changing World” which compared the past to the present and “Cartoons of the Day” in which McCutcheon divided the image into three separate cartoons.
McCutcheon worked primarily with pen and ink on illustration board and paper but crayon was also used. Captions and pre-production notes with special instructions appear in pen and pencil. McCutcheon frequently wrote extensive text and subtitles on the back of the cartoons. Dimensions vary, although most are at least 14 ½" x 18 ½".
Illustrations and Drawings (1895-1947) includes original artwork and reproductions of McCutcheon's work. Many of these original pieces appeared in Cosmopolitan and others were drawn to accompany serialized stories. Some are pencil drawings. The reproductions include a color railroad dinner menu, work for the Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society and a rough composite of sketches and text reporting on events in the U.S. Senate. Also of interest is a copy of a map McCutcheon drew of the island he purchased.
Biographical material contains three photographs of McCutcheon, his autograph, typed biographies and programs from events he attended.
Writings consists of a diary from 1898 and undated class notes.
Published material (1902-1944) includes copies of articles written by McCutcheon; newspaper clippings of his articles, illustrated features and color artwork that appeared in the Chicago Tribune; as well as a scrapbook with McCutcheon's World War I reporting and drawings.
- Biographical / historical:
-
John T. McCutcheon (1870-1949) was an American cartoonist and war correspondent who worked for the Chicago Tribune for over 40 years.
John Tinney McCutcheon was born on a small farm several miles south of Lafayette in Tippecanoe County, Indiana on May 6, 1870. He spent his early childhood on the farm and his youth in neighboring communities. After receiving a B.S. degree from Purdue University in 1889, he joined the staff of the Chicago Morning News as an artist.
During 1892 and 1893, McCutcheon covered the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and in 1895 he first traveled to Europe. The presidential election of 1896 between Republican William McKinley and Democrat William Jennings Bryan provided McCutcheon with the material to open his career as a political cartoonist. While traveling abroad, the Spanish-American War got underway and McCutcheon served as a war correspondent in the Philippines returning home several year later after the Boer War.
After returning to the United States, McCutcheon started working on his first serial cartoons including Bird Center and in 1903 he joined the Chicago Tribune for whom he contributed editorial cartoons, illustrations and feature stories. During the first years of World War I, McCutcheon reported from Europe.
McCutcheon continued to travel extensively. He purchased his own island, Salt Cay in 1916 and went on hunting trips with several U.S. generals. He made several trips around the world and in 1909-1910 he spent over four months in Africa on a big game hunt, all the while contributing articles to the Chicago Tribune.
McCutcheon's cartoons ran the gamut from presidential races and national politics to societal changes and economic hardships. He published illustrations in magazines such as Cosmopolitan and illustrated several books by George Ade, a fellow Indianan and Purdue graduate whose humorous "fables" were popular from the late nineteenth century through the 1930s. His illustrations were also used by several railroads. McCutcheon's autobiography, Drawn from Memory, was published posthumously in 1950.
Purdue University and Notre Dame awarded him honorary doctoral degrees in 1926 and 1931 respectively and McCutcheon also lectured throughout the United States. His cartoons earned him an international reputation and he received a Pulitzer Prize for his 1931 cartoon, "A Wise Economist Asks a Question." He was a member of the Royal Geographical Society of London, the Chicago Zoological Society (of which he served as president for over twenty years), the University Players and Coffee House of New York, the Military Order of Carabao and the Society of Manila Bay of Washington.
Following serious illness, McCutcheon retired from the Chicago Tribune in 1946. John T. McCutcheon died June 10, 1949 in Lake Forest, Illinois. His son, Shaw McCutcheon is an editorial cartoonist.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Mrs. John T. McCutcheon , 1964.
- Arrangement:
-
Dated cartoons are arranged chronologically. Undated cartoons are arranged in alphabetical order by caption where one is present.
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Art -- Cartoonists
Agriculture -- Caricatures and cartoons.
American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Boxing -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Caricatures and cartoons -- United States.
Cartoonists -- Illinois -- Chicago.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Editorial cartoons -- Illinois -- Chicago.
Editorial cartoons -- United States.
Elections -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Great Depression -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Industries -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Journalists -- United States.
Prohibition -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Political corruption -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Strikes and lockouts -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Taxation -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Travel.
Treaty of Versailles (1919) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
War correspondents -- United States.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
World politics -- 1900-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Cartoonists.
Journalists.
War correspondents.
Articles.
Cartoons (humorous images)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Drawings (visual works)
Diaries.
Editorial cartoons.
Illustrations.
Printed materials (object genre)
Scrapbooks. - Names:
- Democratic Party (U.S.) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Indiana Society of Chicago.
League of Nations -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
United States. Congress -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 -- Caricatures and cartoons. - Places:
- Europe -- History--1871-1918 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Europe -- History -- 1918-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Mexico -- History -- Revolution, 1910-1920 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1953 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Chicago (Ill.) -- Caricatures and cartoons. - Indexes:
-
Index to cartoons
The following is a list of predominant people, places and subjects appearing in the editorial cartoons in this collection. The list is not exhaustive. Some subjects may require you to browse with alternative terms.
B= Box, F= Folder. For example: B1F1= Box 1 Folder 1.
African-Americans B5F1B7F9 Agricultural Adjustment Administration B3F2 animal cruelty B7F3 anti-trust laws B5F7B7F3 armed forces B1F5B3F6-B3F7B4F3B5F1-B5F3B7F1B7F6B1F7-B1F8 Asia B6F2B7F3 Austria B3F1B3F3B3F11B5F1 automobile industry B1F4B1F6-B1F7B4F1B4F4B7F6 automobiles B1F2-B1F4B1F8B3F4B6F1B7F4 aviation B1F2B1F7-B2F2B3F4B5F3B6F1B7F2B7F4 Balkan Peninsula B1F5B7F2 banking industry B1F6B2F6-B2F7B3F10B7F9 Belgium B2F2-B2F3B6F7-B7F1 Borah, William B3F3 Brazil B4F4 Britain B1F4B1F7-B2F6B3F1B3F3-B3F7B3F11B4F1-B4F3B4F5-B5F1B5F3-B5F5B6F1B6F3-B6F5B6F7-B7F2B7F4-B7F8 Bryan, William Jennings B4F2B4F4B5F1B5F4B6F1-B6F2B6F4B7F1B7F6B7F9 Bulgaria B1F2 business B2F2B2F4B3F3-B3F4B5F6B6F2B7F3 Caillaux, Joseph B1F2 California B5F6 Canada B5F4 Carranza, Emilio B2F1B4F5 celebrities B1F6 censorship B7F2 charity B2F7B4F4B7F5 Chicago B1F1-B1F2B1F5-B1F6B1F8B2F2B2F4B2F6B6F3B6F6-B6F7B7F2B7F5-B7F6B7F8 Chicago School Board B1F1B1F8 child labor B7F9 China B1F7B2F3B3F5B4F1B5F4B7F1 Churchill, Winston B3F10B3F12 Civil War B4F3 college students B1F6B2F7B4F5B7F7 Colombia B5F5 communism B2F7B6F3 Congress B1F2B1F4-B1F6B2F1B2F3-B2F4B2F6B3F1-B3F2B3F7B3F9B4F2-B4F3B4F5B5F3B5F6-B5F7B6F2B6F4B7F1-B7F3B7F5-B7F7 construction B2F2B3F2 consumers B3F1B6F5 Coolidge, Calvin B1F2-B1F3B1F5-B1F6B2F2-B2F3B3F1B5F3B6F1-B6F4B7F4B7F6 corruption B1F5-B1F7B2F1B2F7B5F2B6F1-B6F2B6F4B6F6B7F2B7F8-B7F9 Cox, James M. B4F2B4F4B7F1B7F7-B7F8 credit B1F3B2F4 crime B1F2-B1F3B1F5-B1F6B2F1B5F7-B6F1B6F3B7F4 Cuba B4F4 Czechoslovakia B3F5-B3F6B3F11 daylight savings time B1F6 de Gaulle, Charles B3F10 democracy B1F8B3F5-B3F6B6F2B7F3 Democratic National Convention B1F1 Democratic Party B1F5B2F1B3F1B3F3B3F7B4F2-B4F3B4F5-B5F1B5F3B6F2-B6F3B6F7-B7F1B7F3B7F6-B7F9 Dempsey, Jack B1F5B3F1B4F5B7F7 Dever, William Emmett B1F4 Diaz, Adolfo B1F7 diseases B2F7 draft B3F7 economy B5F6B6F6 Edison, Thomas B3F4 elections B1F4-B1F6B2F1B2F4B2F6B3F3B3F5B3F11B5F1B5F5-B5F6B6F4B6F7B7F3-B7F4B7F7 entertainment B1F3B1F7 Europe B2F7B3F5B4F1B4F5B6F6B7F3B7F9 Farley, James B3F1 farming B1F4B1F6B1F8-B2F2B3F1-B3F2B3F4B3F10B5F3B6F3B6F5-B6F6B7F4B7F8-B7F9 fashion B2F2B6F2B6F5B7F8 Finland B3F3B3F6B3F11 Ford, Henry B1F4B2F7B3F4B7F4 France B1F2-B1F5B2F2-B2F6B3F3B3F6B3F11B5F1B5F3-B5F4B5F6B6F2-B7F2B7F5-B7F7 Germany B1F3B1F5B2F2-B2F3B2F6B3F4-B3F6B3F11-B4F1B4F4-B5F1B5F3-B5F5B5F7B6F2-B6F4B6F6-B6F7B7F2-B7F3B7F5-B7F7 Ghandi, Mahatma B2F4 Giraud, Henri B3F10 gold B2F7 Gray, George B5F4 Great Depression B2F4-B2F5B2F7-B3F1B3F5B6F3 Greece B1F2B4F2B5F5B6F3B6F5-B6F7B7F5B7F7 Haller, Stanislaw B1F4 Harding, Warren G. B4F2B4F4B5F4B6F3-B6F4B6F6 Harrison, Benjamin B7F7 Hauptmann, Bruno B3F2 Hearst, William Randolph B5F7B7F7 Hirohito B3F10 Hitler, Adolph B3F4B3F5-B3F6B3F11-B3F12 holidays B1F1B1F3B1F6B6F7B7F3B7F8 Hoover, Hebert B2F1-B2F2B5F2B5F7B6F6 housing B6F5 Huerta, Victoriano B4F1B4F4B5F1B6F3B7F6 Hughes, Charles Evan B5F4-B5F5B5F7B6F7 Illinois B1F3B1F7B4F5B5F4B6F2B6F7B7F5-B7F6B7F9 immigration B1F8B4F3B6F6B7F8 industry (general) B2F1B2F6B3F9-B3F10B4F1-B4F2B4F4-B4F5B6F3B6F7B7F2-B7F3B7F6B7F8-B7F9 inflation B2F7B4F3 insurance B6F2 International Workers of the World B7F7 Iowa B1F4 Iraq B1F3-B1F4B4F3 Ireland B4F5B6F1B6F6B7F1B7F7-B7F8 Italy B1F6B1F8B2F4-B2F5B3F1B3F6B6F3B6F7B7F2B7F4 Johnson, Hiram B5F3B6F2-B6F3B6F6B7F2B7F4 journalism B1F4B1F6B1F8B4F3B6F7B7F2B7F4 judicial system B1F1-B1F3B1F5B1F8B2F2B2F7B6F7 Kellogg–Briand Pact B2F1-B2F3B2F5 Ku Klux Klan B7F3 La Follette, Phil B4F1B5F7B6F1B6F3-B6F4B7F5-B7F6 labor B1F8B2F2B2F7B4F2B6F1B7F7-B7F9 Labor Day B2F4 Landon, Alf B3F3 Latin America B2F1 lawyers B1F2 League of Nations B1F2-B1F7B2F1-B2F2B2F4B2F6B3F3B3F11B4F2B4F4B5F3B6F1B6F4B6F6-B7F1B7F6-B7F9 Lindbergh, Charles B1F7B2F3B2F5B2F7B3F2 Lithuania B1F8 Locarno Treaties B1F2-B1F3 Lorimer, William B6F2 Lusitania B4F1 MacDonald, James Ramsay B2F3 Marconi B3F4 McCall, John T. B5F3 Memorial Day B2F3 Mexico B1F5B1F8-B2F1B4F4-B5F1B5F3-B5F6B6F5B7F1 mining B3F1B4F5B5F4-B5F5B6F2B6F7-B7F2B7F4B7F6-B7F8 Monroe Doctrine B4F5B7F1 Montenegro B5F4 Moses, George H. B2F1 motion pictures B2F3B3F1B3F4B7F2B7F6 Mussolini, Benito B1F4B3F3B6F7 national debt B3F3 National Recovery Administration B2F7 nature B1F6B3F3 navy B1F7-B2F5B5F3B6F6B7F4B7F7-B7F8 Nazis B3F11-B3F12 New Deal B3F1 New Jersey B5F7 New York (State) B5F4B7F3-B7F5 New York City B1F3B2F7B5F5B7F3 Nicaragua B1F7 Obregon, Alvaro B2F1 oil B1F3B2F3B4F2-B4F3B4F5B5F7B6F6B7F6-B7F7 Olympics B3F3 organized crime B2F7B4F4B6F7B7F2B7F8 Panama B4F4 Panama Canal B1F7B2F1B7F8 Parker, Alton B5F4 passenger ships B1F2 peace B2F2B4F5B5F4-B5F5B5F7B6F6B7F6B7F8 Pennsylvania B7F5 Piłsudski, Józef B1F4 Platt, T.C. B4F4 Poland B1F4B1F8B3F6B3F11B5F2B6F2B6F4 politics B1F3B1F8-B2F1B6F4B6F6B7F6 Progressivism B4F5B7F1 Prohibition B1F2B1F6B2F4B2F7B5F2B5F4B6F1-B6F2B6F4-B6F5B6F7-B7F3B7F6 prosperity B1F3 radio B1F3-B1F4B3F4 railroad industry B2F2B5F2B6F2-B6F3B7F1B7F4B7F6-B7F8 religion B1F6B3F5B4F3 Republican Party B1F5B2F1B2F7-B3F1B3F3B3F11B4F3B4F5B5F3-B5F6B6F3-B6F6B7F1-B7F2B7F6-B7F8 Rockefeller, John D., Jr. B2F2 Romania B1F8B5F5 Roosevelt, Franklin D. B3F1B3F3B3F7-B3F10B3F12B4F3-B4F4 Roosevelt, Theodore B1F1B4F4B5F1-B5F2B5F4-B6F2B6F6B7F3 rural free delivery B6F4 Russia B1F6-B1F7B2F3B2F6B3F8B4F2B4F4B5F1-B5F2B5F5B6F1B6F3-B6F4B7F2B7F5B7F7-B7F8 San Francisco Earthquake B5F4 science B1F6 shipping industry B4F1B7F8 Sims, William B5F6 Sinclair, Harry B1F7-B1F8 Sinclair, Upton B3F1 Smith, Al B1F8B2F1B5F2B6F7B7F4 South Africa B5F4 South America B5F7B6F6B7F3 Soviet Union B2F7B3F6B6F3B6F7B7F6 Spain B1F5B3F3B3F6 sports B1F2B1F5B1F7B2F3-B2F4B3F1B3F3-B3F4B4F5B6F1B6F7B7F6-B7F7 Stalin, Joseph B3F8-B3F11 steel industry B7F1B7F5B7F7 Stewart, Robert Wright B2F2 stock market B1F3B2F2B2F6-B2F7B4F1B5F7B7F1B7F4-B7F6 strikes B4F1B4F5B5F4-B5F5B6F2B6F5B7F1-B7F2B7F4B7F7-B7F8 Supreme Court B7F5 Taft, William Howard B4F3B4F5-B5F1B5F3-B6F1B6F4B7F1B7F3B7F6-B7F7B7F9 tariffs B2F1B6F6B7F5-B7F9 taxes B1F2-B1F3B1F6-B2F2B2F4B2F6B3F2B3F4B3F7B3F9-B3F10B5F6B6F1-B6F5B7F1B7F3-B7F8 teachers B2F6 Teapot Dome Scandal B1F7-B1F8 Thompson, William Hale B5F1-B5F2 tourism B1F3B2F4B3F2 transportation B1F2B1F5B2F2B7F5-B7F6B7F8 Trotsky, Leon B7F1 Turkey B4F2B6F3B6F5B7F2B7F4-B7F5 U.S. dollar B2F7 U.S. Postal Service B1F6B1F8B7F6 unemployment B3F1B4F3B6F6B7F1B7F5B7F8 universities B2F7 urban life B1F8 Treaty of Versailles B1F2-B1F3B2F1B2F4B2F6-B2F7B4F5B6F1B6F3-B6F4B6F6B7F6-B7F7 Villa, Pancho B5F1B5F4 voting B1F5B2F1B6F5 war B1F2B2F3B3F4-B3F5B6F2 weather B1F4B1F8B4F5B6F3-B6F4B7F5 Willkie, Wendell B3F10 Wilson, Woodrow B3F3B3F8B4F1B4F3-B4F4B5F1-B5F5B5F7B6F3B6F6B7F1B7F4B7F6-B7F8 Wisconsin B7F3 women B4F4 women's suffrage B1F4B3F10B5F3-B5F4B7F6-B7F7B7F9 World War I B1F2-B1F3B2F5-B2F6B3F1B3F3B3F6-B3F7B3F10B4F3-B4F4B5F4B5F6B6F1B6F4B6F6-B7F1B7F3-B7F4B7F6-B7F8 World War II B3F5-B3F11 World's Fair B7F9 Yalta Conference B3F12 Yugoslavia B1F8 Zioncheck, Marion B3F3
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
- Terms of access:
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Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
- Preferred citation:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
John T. McCutcheon Papers,
- Location of this collection:
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Special Collections Research CenterSyracuse University LibrariesBird Library, Room 600Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
- Contact:
- 315.443.2697scrc@syr.edu