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Walter Krawiec political cartoons

 Collection
Identifier: Midwest-MS-201

Scope and Content of the Collection

Five original political cartoons by Walter Krawiec.

Only one cartoon clearly indicates that it is from the Polish Daily News, although it is likely that all the cartoons were drawn for the paper. Three of the five cartoons relate to Chicago, including a rendering of Senator Ed Muskie surrounded by a haze of smoke from Chicago-area factories; a depiction of the Northwest Expressway (now the Kennedy Expressway/Interstate 90) running through Chicago's Polish neighborhood; and a cartoon entitled "Cathechetical Congress," which depicts a fishing skiff named "Chicago" carrying Jesus Christ, who sits at the bow, and three congressmen pulling in a net of fish. The remaining two cartoons are more internationally focused. One depicts an American soldier in a trench in North Korea looking back at a fire-breathing dragon behind him. The other cartoon, entitled "Riots in Egypt," features an Arab horseman armed with a sabre and rifle and a bayonet between his teeth. The accompanying caption reads "Weapons of Communists" in Polish.

Dates

  • Creation: approximately 1950-1960s

Creator

Language

Materials are in English and Polish.

Conditions Governing Access

The Walter Krawiec political cartoons are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room (Priority III).

Ownership and Literary Rights

The Walter Krawiec political cartoons are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections at reference@newberry.org.

Biography of Walter Krawiec

Polish American artist, illustrator, and political cartoonist who was active in Chicago during the early to mid-20th century.

Born in Morezew, Poland on September 24, 1889, Walter Krawiec immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of three. He attended St. John Cantius School in Chicago and later enrolled in art classes at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1913, Krawiec was hired by Chicago's Polish Daily News where he worked as the political cartoonist for the next 60 years. In 1919, Krawiec wed Harriet Korzeniewski, a fellow artist, with whom he had one son, Walter Krawiec, Jr. In addition to his work at the Polish Daily News, Krawiec was also an established artist, and his paintings, which often depicted landscapes or circus scenes, were displayed in numerous Chicago galleries. Krawiec died in 1982 at the age of 92.

Extent

0.2 Linear Feet (5 folders)

Abstract

Five political cartoons by artist Walter Krawiec that were most likely meant for publication in the Chicago Polish Daily News.

Arrangement

Cartoons arranged with Chicago-related cartoons first, and national and international cartoons thereafter.

Collection Stack Location

1 1 2

Provenance

Purchase, Lorne Bair Rare Books, 2013

Processed by

Elizabeth McKinley, 2013.

Title
Inventory of the Walter Krawiec political cartoons, approximately 1950-1960s
Status
Completed
Author
Elizabeth McKinley
Date
©2013.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
60 West Walton Street
Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512