Charles Werner Papers, 1938-1966

Summary

Creator:
Werner, Charles George, 1909-1997.
Abstract:
909 original cartoons, proofs, correspondence, printed material and biographic information.
Extent:
7.9 linear feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Charles Werner Papers,

Background

Scope and content:

The Charles Werner Papers consists of five series: Cartoons (1947-1965), Proofs (1959-1964), Correspondence (1938-1964), Biographical material and Printed material.

The bulk of the collection is 909 editorial cartoons drawn by Werner for the Indianapolis Star located in the Cartoons series. Werner considered himself a conservative and often depicted the influence of big government as evidenced in his portrayal of President Harry Truman continuing on the liberal, tax and spend path of predecessor Franklin Roosevelt and the problems of too over involvement in foreign affairs. He also used sports motifs to portray political issues. Werner frequently commented on high rates of automobile accident deaths. His attention to this issue won him an award from National Foundation for Highway Safety.

Dimensions vary but most of the cartoons are approximately 11 1/4 x 13 3/4". Some of the original cartoons have newspaper clippings of the cartoon taped on the back. The cartoons were drawn on coquille board with ink and graphite.

Several years of proofs are included in the collection.

Correspondence contains incoming and outgoing correspondence. Correspondents included: professional organizations, elected officials including Barry Goldwater and Harry Truman (the letter is undated but is from after Truman's presidency), fans and fellow cartoonists including Carey Orr and Milton Caniff.

The biographical material and printed material series contain assorted information related to Werner's career and awards; articles and clippings about Werner; a handful of photographs and examples of his work syndicated outside of the United States.

Biographical / historical:

Charles George Werner (1909-1997) was a Pulitzer Prize winning American cartoonist who worked for the Indianapolis Star for 47 years.

Charles Werner was born March 23, 1909 in Marshfield, Wisconsin to George and Marie (Tipelt) Werner. Werner attended Oklahoma City University but had no formal training in art. He worked as a staff artist and photographer for the Springfield, Missouri Leader and Press from 1930 until 1935. He joined the staff of the Daily Oklahoman in 1935, becoming editorial cartoonist in 1937.

Werner won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1939 for a cartoon he did for the Daily Oklahoman titled “Nomination for 1938” which appeared on October 6, 1938. The cartoon commented on the Munich Agreement which allowed for the transfer of the Sudetenland to Hitler's Germany. At age 29, Werner was the youngest person to win the Pulitzer in that category.

Werner left the Daily Oklahoman to be the Chief Editorial Cartoonist at the Chicago Sun in 1941 before leaving for the Indianapolis Star in 1947 where he stayed until his retirement in 1994. Werner received a Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in journalism in 1943 and seven Freedom Foundation Awards from 1951 to 1963. At the 1969 International Salon of Cartoons in Montreal, he won an award as one of the world's six best cartoonists. In 1959 and 1960, Werner served as the president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

Throughout his nearly sixty year career, many U.S. Presidents expressed interest in Werner's cartoons. In 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson requested over a dozen original cartoons from Werner for his personal collection. Former President Harry Truman also requested a cartoon for his presidential library.

Charles Werner died on July 1, 1997 from cancer.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Charles Werner , 1965 and 1967.
Arrangement:

Cartoons and proofs are arranged in chronological order by month. Correspondence is arranged and foldered by year.

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Art -- Cartoonists
American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Caricatures and cartoons -- United States.
Cold War -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Communism -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Editorial cartoons -- Indiana.
Editorial cartoons -- United States.
Political cartoons.
Taxation -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Traffic fatalities -- Caricatures and cartoons.
World politics -- 1945-1989 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Cartoonists.
Cartoons (humorous images)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Editorial cartoons.
Printers' proofs.
Names:
Indianapolis star.
United States. Congress -- Caricatures and cartoons.
United Nations -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Werner, Charles George, 1909-1997.
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.

Acheson, Dean B2F5
AFL-CIO B2F2B4F2B4F4B5F2
Alaska B3F2
Algeria B6F4B6F9
anti-Semitism B5F6
Argentina B6F4
Asia B3F7-B3F8B4F9B7F7-B7F8B8F4
Atlantic Pact B1F7-B1F9
Attlee, Clement B3F2
auto industry B2F2B8F4
automobile accidents B1F2B1F8B2F1B2F6B3F2-B3F3B3F9B4F1-B4F2B4F7B4F10B5F2B5F7B7F2B8F3B8F6
Batista, Fulgencio B6F2
beef industry B2F3-B2F4
Brannan Plan B1F8B2F1
Brazil B7F2B7F6
Brezhnev, Leonid Ilyich B8F6
Britain B2F7-B2F8B3F3B4F1B4F7B6F9-B6F10B7F3
California B2F1B5F1
Canada B6F5
cancer B1F4
capitalism B6F5
Carson, Rachel B7F6
Castro, Fidel B5F5B5F9-B6F5B6F8B7F3-B7F4B7F6B8F2
Chamberlain, Neville B2F3
charity B4F2B4F4
child support B2F4
China B1F6-B1F7B1F10-B1F11B2F2-B2F3B2F5B3F4-B3F5B4F7B4F9B5F2B5F4B5F10-B6F1B6F4-B6F5B6F7B7F6-B7F8B8F2B8F4
civil rights B1F3B4F4B4F8-B4F10B5F6B6F1B6F5-B6F6B6F9-B7F1B7F6B7F8-B8F1
Clark, Mark Wayne B2F8
coal industry B1F11B3F1
Cold War B3F10B4F2B5F3B5F8
collectivism B1F9
Colombia B1F3
communism B1F2-B1F4B1F9B1F11-B2F5B3F1-B3F6B3F8B3F10-B4F2B4F7B4F9B5F1B5F7-B5F9B6F2-B6F5B6F7-B6F9B7F3-B7F4B7F6-B7F8B8F5
Congo B5F8-B5F9B6F1-B6F4B6F6B8F5
Congress B1F1B1F3-B1F5B1F8-B1F9B1F11B2F3B2F6B2F8B3F7-B3F8B4F2-B4F3B4F6-B4F9B5F1-B5F6B5F8B6F2B6F6B6F8B6F10-B7F1B7F3-B7F6B8F5-B8F6
credit B1F1-B1F2B2F7B4F2
crime B3F5B4F3B4F6B5F8B6F4
Cuba B5F8-B5F9B6F1B6F4-B6F6B6F8-B6F9B7F3B8F2
Czechoslovakia B1F3-B1F4
de Gaulle, Charles B5F6B6F1B6F10B7F3
debt B4F1B7F2B7F8
deflation B1F3B1F8
democracy B1F5-B1F6B5F7
Democratic Party B1F4B1F8B2F3B3F5B3F7B4F3-B4F4B5F1B5F3B7F6B8F3-B8F4
Dewey, Thomas B1F4B2F2
Dirksen, Everett B8F1
disarmament B1F5B2F5B4F4B4F8B5F5B7F6
Dixiecrats B1F6B2F3
draft B4F6
drug use B1F5B4F8
Dulles, John Foster B3F4B4F7B5F2
Duvalier, François B6F9-B6F10
economy B2F1B2F6B4F6-B4F7B5F4B6F1B6F10B7F5-B7F6
Eden, Anthony B4F5
schools B1F2B1F5B1F10B2F8B4F4B5F8B6F10B8F3
Egypt B4F1B4F6B8F6
Eisenhower, Dwight B2F2B2F4B2F6-B3F1B3F6-B3F8B3F10-B4F1B4F4-B4F5B4F7-B5F2B5F4-B5F5B5F7-B5F9B7F3B8F1B8F7
elections B1F3B1F6B2F6B3F4B3F7-B3F7B3F10-B4F1B4F3-B4F4B5F2B5F6-B5F10B6F7B7F3B7F5B7F8B8F3
En-lai, Chou B7F3
Europe B1F1-B1F2B4F3B5F2B5F6
farming B3F5B3F10B4F4B4F9B5F2B5F4
Federal Bureau of Investigation B4F9
Finland B1F4
flooding B4F7B5F3
Formosa B1F10-B1F11B3F10B5F2
France B2F6B3F5B3F9B5F8B6F1-B6F2B6F4B8F3
free press B3F8B7F5
freedom B2F2B5F4B8F1
gambling B1F3B2F2
Gandhi B1F3
Germany B1F6-B1F7B1F11-B2F1B2F6-B2F7B3F4-B3F5B3F9B4F1B4F10B5F2B5F4B5F10B6F4B6F6B6F9B7F5-B7F6
Girard Case B4F8
Glenn, John B7F3
Goldberg, Arthur B6F5
Goldwater, Barry B6F9B7F1-B7F3B7F5B7F7-B8F4B8F6-B8F7
Grand Army of the Republic B1F9
Greece B7F5-B7F6B8F2
Greenlease, Bobby B3F5
Haiti B6F9-B6F10
Harriman, W. Averell B4F3B6F5
Hawaii B1F4B1F9B3F2B5F3
Hoffa, Jimmy B6F7B7F5B8F1
holidays B1F1-B1F2B1F7-B1F8B2F5B3F9B4F2B4F7B4F10B5F2B6F9B8F3B8F5
Honduras B7F3
Hoover, Herbert B1F9B8F4
Hoover, J. Edgar B8F6
Humphrey, Hubert B5F6-B5F7B8F3-B8F4CHECK SPELL
Hungary B2F5B4F5B5F3
hunger B1F2
Iceland B4F3
India B1F3B2F4B2F6B3F1B3F3B6F7
Indiana B1F2B1F5B1F8B2F1B2F7B3F5B3F7B4F6B4F8B5F5B5F8B6F7-B6F9B7F4B7F6-B7F7B8F1-B8F2B8F7
Indonesia B1F6
inflation B1F3B2F1B2F5-B2F6B2F8B4F6B4F9B6F1-B6F2B8F4
Iran B2F3B2F7
Iraq B5F4B6F9
Islam B2F8B6F10
Israel B4F6-B4F7
Japan B5F7B5F8
Johnson, Lyndon Baines B5F1B5F7B7F2-B7F7B8F1B8F3-B8F7
Keating, Kenneth B8F3
Kennedy, John F. B5F6-B5F8B6F1-B6F9B7F1-B7F2
Kennedy, Robert F. B6F8B8F3-B8F4
Kennedy, Ted B6F6
Khrushchev, Nikita B4F2B5F2B5F6-B6F8B6F10B7F3B7F5-B7F6B8F3B8F5
Kishi, Nobusuke B5F8
Korean War B2F1-B2F6B2F8-B3F5B4F2B5F1B5F7
Kosygin, Alexey B8F6
Ku Klux Klan B6F10
labor B1F2B4F7B5F1B6F10
Laos B6F1B6F5B7F7
Latin America B3F5B6F1B6F9B7F1
Lewis, John B1F1B1F4B1F8B1F10-B1F11B5F5
liberty B1F3B1F5-B1F6B2F4
Lincoln, Abraham B3F10
MacArthur, Douglas B2F2-B2F3B2F8B7F6
MacMillan, Harold B5F3B6F7
Malenkov, Georgy B3F2B3F5
Marshall Plan B1F2-B1F3B1F11
McCarthy, Joseph B3F8
McCarthyism B2F9
McNamara, Robert B5F10B7F3B7F5B7F7B8F4-B8F6
Medicare B6F5B7F2
Memorial Day B1F1
Middle East B1F2B4F4-B4F7B4F10-B5F1B5F4B6F2
minimum wage B6F1
Molotov, Vyacheslav B1F5B2F2
Munich Agreement B1F5
Nasser, Gamal Abdel B4F6B6F9
NATO B3F8B4F7
nature conservation B6F4
Nazism B1F3
Nebraska B1F4
Nehru, Jawaharlal B2F6B3F3
Netherlands B1F6B7F7
New York B5F3
Nixon, Richard M. B4F4B5F1B5F8-B5F9B7F3B8F7
nuclear weapons B1F9B2F6B3F4-B3F5B3F8B4F1B4F3B4F9B5F1-B5F2B5F6B5F10B6F4-B6F6B6F10-B7F1B8F4B8F6
oil B2F3B2F7B6F2
Organization of American States B6F4B7F4
Palestine B1F2B1F5
Panama B7F3
peace B1F1-B1F3B1F5B1F7-B1F9B1F11B2F2-B2F7B3F2-B3F7B3F10B4F3B4F7
Peron, Juan Domingo B2F5B4F1
Petrillo, James B1F6
Poland B1F4
Pope Pius XII B5F2
Potsdam Agreement B2F1
prices B3F1B5F3B6F1B6F6B6F9B8F7
prosperity B1F5B1F7B8F4
Queen Elizabeth II B2F6B3F3B4F10
quiz shows B5F5
railroad industry B1F4-B1F5B6F10B7F6
record industry B1F6
religion B1F3B5F4B6F5B7F3
Republican Party B1F1B1F3-B1F5B1F11B2F3B2F5B2F7B3F6-B3F7B4F2-B4F5B4F7B5F1-B5F3B5F8B6F3B7F3B7F6-B8F1B8F4-B8F6
Reuther, Walter B2F2B5F4B8F4
Rhee, Syngman B5F7
right to work law B4F6B5F3
Rockefeller, Nelson B5F3B5F8B7F1-B7F2B7F5B7F7-B7F8B8F7
Romney, George W. B7F1B8F5B8F7
Russia B1F1-B1F3B1F5B1F7B1F9B1F11-B2F1B2F4B3F2B3F4B3F7-B3F8B3F10-B4F2B4F5B4F7-B4F8B5F3B5F7B6F1B6F6B7F2-B7F4B8F4
Saud, Ibn B5F1
Scranton, William B7F1B7F8-B8F1B8F5B8F7
slums B3F10B5F4
Smith, Margaret Chase B7F2-B7F3
socialism B1F8-B1F9B2F4
socialized medicine B6F5B7F6
soil and water management B4F7
South Carolina B1F1
South Korea B5F7
Soviet Union B1F4B3F4B4F3B4F8B5F2B5F4B6F6B8F6
space exploration B4F10-B5F2B6F4-B6F5B6F8B7F4B8F4
sports B2F4-B2F5B3F9B4F1B4F4B5F2B5F4B6F7
Stalin, Joseph B1F5-B1F6B1F8-B1F9B2F1-B2F3B2F6-B2F8B3F1-B3F2B8F5
Stassen, Harold B1F4B2F5
steel industry B1F3B2F5B2F8B5F4-B5F5B6F2B6F5-B6F6B6F9B8F7
Stevenson, Adlai B2F7B2F9B3F10B4F3-B4F5B5F7-B5F8B6F3B6F7B8F6
strikes B1F1B1F4B2F7-B2F8B6F2B7F6
Supreme Court B2F3B4F8B5F4B7F5
Symington, Stuart B5F6
Syria B6F9
Taft Hartley Act B1F2B1F8B1F10-B1F11B2F7-B2F8B5F5B6F2B6F7
Taft, Robert B2F7-B2F8
tariffs B1F9
taxes B1F1B1F3B1F7B1F9-B2F2B2F5B3F1B3F3B3F5B3F7-B3F8B3F10B4F3B4F6-B4F9B5F1B5F3-B5F4B5F6-B5F8B5F10-B6F1B6F5-B6F8B7F1B7F4B7F7B8F1B8F4B8F6
terrorism B1F2B1F8B2F7
Thant, U B6F3B8F5
Thule Air Base B3F5
Tibet B2F4B5F3-B5F4B6F7
Tito, Josip Broz B6F7
Tobin, Dan B1F4
Truman, Harry S. B1F3-B2F4B2F6-B3F1B3F5B4F1
Turkey B7F5-B7F6B8F2
U.S. Constitution B2F1B4F8
U.S. Mail B6F1
U.S. Treasury B1F1B4F8
UFOs B2F1B2F8
Ulbricht, Walter B6F2
unemployment B5F5
unions B1F2B1F11B2F7B4F2B4F6B5F2B5F4-B5F5B7F5
United Nations B1F2-B1F3B1F5B1F9B1F11-B2F3B2F5B2F9B3F2B3F4-B3F5B3F9-B3F10B4F5B5F2B5F4B5F8-B6F6B8F4-B8F6
universities B2F7
urban renewal B7F6
USS Thresher B6F9
Vietnam B4F1B5F1B7F1-B7F2B7F7-B7F8B8F5
Vishinsky, Andrey B2F5B3F1
Wallace, George B7F1B7F6B8F1
war B1F7-B1F8B2F2B5F1B5F4
War on Poverty B7F5B8F5
Warren, Earl B4F8
weather B4F1B5F6B7F6B8F2
white supremacy B1F3
Wilson, Charles E. B4F6B4F9B8F7
World War II B1F5
Zanzibar B7F3
Zedong, Mao B6F8B7F3B8F2

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Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Charles Werner Papers,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu