Fred Wright Cartoons
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The Fred Wright Cartoons consist of roughly 50 original cartoons by Fred Wright. Wright was a staff artist for the UE News, the paper of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE). He also produced artwork for the union's fliers and organizational material. Generally, each drawing is ink on paper or board and stamped on the back by the UE News and thus was likely either published in that publication or submitted for publication. The cartoons cover a number of different issues including civil rights in the south and civil liberties, as well labor issues, military spending, and the Vietnam War. The material ranges in date from 1950-1969.
Historical/Biographical Note
Fred Wright (1907–1984) was a renowned American labor cartoonist and activist. He was best known for his work as staff cartoonist for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). In addition to his cartoons illustrating the union's newspaper, the UE News, Wright designed leaflets, strike placards, and organizing cartoons. He sold his first cartoon to the National Maritime Union's paper, The Pilot, in 1939 and was hired by the UE in 1949. In the spirit of the labor movement, Wright's cartoons criticize the Taft-Hartley Act, McCarthyism, and other government post-war attacks on labor unions.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Scope and Content Note
The Fred Wright Cartoons consist of roughly 50 signed and original cartoons dated from 1950-1969. Wright was a staff artist for the UE News, the newspaper of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). It is presumed that the drawings were produced for that publication as a majority of the cartoons are stamped from the UE News on the back. The cartoons cover topics pertinent to the UE, including several on workplace safety issues. Central figures in Wright's cartoons include a military officer, often used to criticize military over social spending, and a large capitalist used to represent profit. There are cartoons regarding the FBI, and depictions of John Foster Dulles. Other topics found in the collection include: civil liberation and civil rights, elections, inflation, and the Vietnam War. Additionally, there are two folders of unsigned prints in the collection. These are in a similar style as Wright's and so likely were drawn by him as well.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which were created in 1950-1969, are expected to enter the public domain in 2055.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date; Fred Wright Cartoons; GRAPHICS 037; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in repository; provenance is unknown. The accession number 2009.088 is associated with this collection.
About this Guide
Processing Information
No original order was apparent in the collection. The cartoons were arranged in folders based on a main subject designated by the archivist.
Cartoons were put in new acid-free folders.
