History Marches On; Nativism Marches In Place

Cartoon by Barry

immigration-history-1200


TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This cartoon has four panels, with a caption running under the entire cartoon.

PANEL 1

A white man dressed in upper-class American Revolution era clothing punches his fist into his open palm as he angrily makes a point. He is balding on top, with the rest of his hair pulled back into a short ponytail. (I intended this to be a caricature of founding father John Jay, but it’s not an especially good one!)

CAPTION: 1780

MAN: Papist immigrants are wrecking our economy with their fecundity! We must erect a wall of brass around the country for the exclusion of Catholics!

Footnote: (“Wall of Brass…” is quoted from John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court.)

PANEL 2

A wealthy-looking white man in 1850s clothing, sitting in an armchair, looks very snooty as he holds up a forefinger, making a point. He has a newspaper held in his lap by the other hand, and a teacup on a little round table next to the armchair.

CAPTION: 1850

MAN: Chinese immigrants refuse to assimilate… and if we let too many in, they’ll undermine our economy!

PANEL 3

A white man in a dull green 1920s suit and hat talks cheerfully, looking straight at the viewer, “talking with his hands.” There’s a house and a tree behind him.

CAPTION: 1920

MAN: Now, I’ve not nothing against Jews…. but the Jews are coming in huge numbers! The economy can’t take it!

PANEL 4

A modern-looking family – a white man, white woman, and their small child – are standing inside what’s probably their house. The man is pounding his fist into his palm as he angrily speaks. The woman has her arms crossed. The child, holding a teddy bear, looks curiously up at her mom.

CAPTION: NOW

MAN: We’ve got nothing against Mexicans. But they refuse to assimilate! They’re ruining our economy!

WOMAN: We should erect a wall.

GOING ACROSS THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE STRIP

CAPTION: History Marches On; Nativism Marches In Place

Posted in Barry's favorites, History, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

The Story Of Bob And Race

Cartoon by Barry

bob-and-race-color

The colors for this cartoon are by Peggy von Burkleo. Check out her webcomic Samhain Night.

Transcript of cartoon.
Panel 1
A white politician in a podium is making a speech.
CAPTION: How Bob’s Great-Grandparents got into the USA.
POLITICIAN: Our immigration laws should make it easier for the right kind of people to immigrate.

Panel 2
An office environment (presumably a bank office). At a desk in the foreground, a smiling banker shakes hands with a smiling white couple. At a desk in the background, a white banker is speaking to an unhappy looking Black couple.
CAPTION: How Bob’s grandparents became homeowners.
BANKER TALKING TO WHITE COUPLE: We’re happy to approve your mortgage loan!
BANKER TALKING TO BLACK COUPLE: Sorry, we can’t help you.

Panel 3
In the foreground, a white, prosperous-looking man in a business suit puts his arm around a younger man’s shoulder, in a mentoring sort of way. In the background, another white businessman dismisses a young Black man in a suit.
CAPTION: How Bob’s Dad began his career.
BUSINESSMAN: We like you… You seem like one of US. We’re offering you a foot in the door.
OTHER BUSINESSMAN: Sorry, the position’s been filled.

Panel 4
A white woman with a clipboard talks to a young white couple. The man of the couple is whispering something to his wife.
CAPTION: How Bob’s parents became homeowners.
CLIPBOARD WOMAN: We only show homes in THIS neighborhood to the RIGHT sort of people.
MAN (WHISPERS TO WIFE): Lucky your parents can help us with the down payment.

Panel 5
In the foreground, a blonde cop speaks sternly to a young white man. In the background, a dark-haired white cop leads a young black woman away in handcuffs.
CAPTION: How Bob got through his teens.
BLONDE COP: I’ll let you off with a warning… But if I catch you with drugs again…!
DARK-HAIRED COP: Kid, you’re under arrest!

Panel 6
A young man with a somewhat puzzled expression shrugs as he speaks directly to the readers.
CAPTION: Bob.
BOB: I’VE never benefited from racism!

Posted in Barry's favorites, History, Immigration, Racism & Racists |

A Concise History Of Black-White Relations In The United States

Cartoon by Barry

concise

This is one of my favorites of my cartoons; possibly my absolute favorite.

TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON

This is a six-panel strip. At the bottom of the strip is a large caption, which says “A CONCISE HISTORY OF BLACK-WHITE RELATIONS IN THE U.S.A.”

Each panel shows the same scene, from the same angle: Two men, one white and one Black, and a platform that’s higher than either of their heads.

PANEL 1

The Black man has his hands in shackles, which are connected by a chain to a large metal ball. Both men are standing on the ground; the white man is looking up at the platform and has his hands on the Black man’s shoulders, as if he’s about to climb on the Black man. The Black man has turned his head and is glaring at the white man.

WHITE MAN: This is for your own good.

BLACK MEN (thought): Not!

PANEL 2

The white man clambers onto the Black man’s back, getting one hand on the platform. His weight forces the Black man down onto his knees.

WHITE MAN: Oof!

BLACK MAN: Hey!

PANEL 3

The white man has both arms on top of the platform and is now fulling standing on the Black man’s back. The Black man, on his hands and knees, yells angrily towards the white man.

WHITE MAN: Pant! Pant!

BLACK MAN: Get OFF me!

PANEL 4

The Black man has stood up; the shackles are off him. The white man, one foot still on the Black man’s head, is now mostly on the raised platform.

WHITE MAN (thought): Phew!

BLACK MAN: Enough’s ENOUGH! I’m getting up!

PANEL 5

The white man, atop the platform, leans down to talk to the Black man on the ground. The Black man looks angry, his arms crossed, as he listens.

WHITE MAN: I’m real sorry about being racist before. I know better now.

PANEL 6

The Black man lifts his hand up for the white man to pull him up. The white man leans back on one elbow, mostly lying down, obviously not about to help in any way at all.

BLACK MAN: Swell. Give me a hand up, willya?

WHITE MAN: Of COURSE not! That would be REVERSE racism.

TINY KICKER PANEL AT THE BOTTOM OF PANEL 6

The white man explains down at the Black man.

WHITE MAN: Look, if I got up here myself, why can’t YOU?

Posted in Barry's favorites, History, Racism & Racists |