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Clifford Kennedy Berryman (April 2, 1869 – December 11, 1949) was a
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
–winning cartoonist with ''
The Washington Star ''The Washington Star'', previously known as the ''Washington Star-News'' and the Washington ''Evening Star'', was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C., between 1852 and 1981. The Sunday edition was known as the ''Sunday Sta ...
'' newspaper from 1907 to 1949. He was previously a cartoonist for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' from 1891 to 1907. During his career, Berryman drew thousands of cartoons commenting on American presidents and politics. Political figures he lampooned included former Presidents
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. He is particularly known for his cartoons "Remember the Maine" and "Drawing the Line in Mississippi." Berryman was a prominent figure in Washington, D.C. President Harry S. Truman once told him, "You are ageless and timeless. Presidents, senators and even Supreme Court justices come and go, but the
Monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
and Berryman stand." Berryman's cartoons can be found at the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
, the National Archives, and
George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...
, as well as archives that house presidential collections.


Biography


Early life and education

Berryman was born on April 2, 1869, in Clifton, Kentucky, to James Thomas Berryman and Sallie Church Berryman. Berryman's father often entertained friends and neighbors with drawings of "hillbillies" from their hometown; Clifford inherited his father's knack for drawing.


Editorial cartoons

Berryman was appointed draftsman to the
United States Patent Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...
in Washington, D.C. from 1886 to 1891. During his tenure, Berryman submitted sketches to ''The Washington Post'', and in 1891, he became an understudy of the ''Posts political cartoonist George Y. Coffin. After Coffin died in 1896, Berryman took over the ''Post'''s cartoonist position. As a political cartoonist, Berryman satirized both Democrats and Republicans, and covered topics such as drought, farm relief, and
food prices Food prices refer to the average price level for food across countries, regions and on a global scale. Food prices have an impact on producers and consumers of food. Price levels depend on the food production process, including food marketing ...
; representation of the District of Columbia in Congress; labor strikes and legislation; campaigning and elections; political patronage; European coronations; the America's Cup; and the atomic bomb. In 1898, during the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
, ''The Post'' printed Berryman's classic illustration "
Remember the Maine Remember may refer to: Film and television * ''Remember?'', a 1939 film starring Robert Taylor and Greer Garson * ''Remember'' (1926 film), an American silent drama film * ''Remember'' (2015 film), a Canadian film by Atom Egoyan, starring Chris ...
," which became the battle-cry for American sailors during the War. His November 16, 1902, cartoon, "Drawing the Line in Mississippi," depicted President
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
showing compassion for a small bear cub. The cartoon inspired New York store owner Morris Michtom to create a new toy and call it the
teddy bear A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy b ...
. Berryman worked at the ''Post'' until 1907, at which time he was hired by the ''Washington Star''. Berryman was the first cartoonist member of the
Gridiron Club The Gridiron Club is the oldest and among the most prestigious journalistic organizations in Washington, D.C. History Frank A. De Puy (1854–1927) was one of several who met January 24, 1885, at the Welcker's Hotel in Washington, D.C. – ...
and served as the president in 1926. He drew political cartoons for the ''Star'' until his death in 1949. As a Washingtonian, he was an advocate for DC voting rights.


Personal life and death

Berryman married Kate Geddes Durfee on July 5, 1893, and they had three children: Mary Belle (who died as an infant), Florence Seville (she later became an art critic), and James Thomas (who himself became a Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist). Berryman was a
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
and an active member of the Washington Heights Presbyterian Church. He died December 11, 1949, from a heart ailment, and is buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.


Awards

In 1944, Berryman was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning The Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary is one of the fourteen Pulitzer Prizes that is annually awarded for journalism in the United States. It is the successor to the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning awarded from 1922 t ...
for his drawing "Where is the Boat Going." The cartoon depicted President Franklin D. Roosevelt and other government officials trying to steer the ''USS Mississippi'' in several different directions.


Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartooning

Since 1989 the
National Press Foundation The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards. ...
has presented the Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartooning annually. Previous winners include Chip Bok (1993), Jim Morin (1996), Kevin Kallaugher (2002),
Rex Babin Rex Babin (August 17, 1962 – March 30, 2012) was an American editorial cartoonist. He worked for ''The Denver Post'' from 1988 to 1989; the ''Times Union''; and ''The Sacramento Bee'' from 1999 to 2012. Life and career Rex Babin was born on Au ...
(2003),
Steve Sack Steve Sack (born 1953) is an American cartoonist who won a 2013 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. With Chris Foote he draws the cartoon activity panel '' Doodles'' and he is editorial cartoonist for the '' Minneapolis Star Tribune'', where ...
(2006), Matt Wuerker (2010), Nick Anderson (2011),
Adam Zyglis Adam O. Zyglis (born July 9, 1982) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning"Buffalo News cartoonist Adam Zyglis wins Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning", ''Buffalo News'', April 20, 2015 American editorial cartoonist who works for the ''Buffalo News'' of ...
(2013), and Clay Bennett (2014).


Gallery

File:Theodore Roosevelt signed 1904 photo to CK Berryman.jpg, A signed 1904 photo Theodore Roosevelt to CK Berryman File:William Jennings Bryan reading news from war fronts 1914.jpg,
William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...
reading news from war fronts (1914) File:Berryman political cartoon on income tax vs sales tax (3 June 1933).jpg, A comedic representation of the debate about the
income tax in the United States Income taxes in the United States are imposed by the federal government, and most states. The income taxes are determined by applying a tax rate, which may increase as income increases, to taxable income, which is the total income less allowa ...
File:The Post-Season Parade.JPG, The "lame ducks" are defeated Democrats heading to the White House hoping to secure political appointments from President
Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
. File:Hitler and Stalin. Wonder how long the honeymoon will last?.jpg, "Wonder how long the
honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...
will last?" (''
The Washington Star ''The Washington Star'', previously known as the ''Washington Star-News'' and the Washington ''Evening Star'', was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C., between 1852 and 1981. The Sunday edition was known as the ''Sunday Sta ...
'' 1939) File:Clifford Berryman grave - Glenwood Cemetery - 2014-09-19.jpg, Berryman's grave at Glenwood Cemetery.


References


External links

*
Smithsonian Archives of American Art: Berryman Family PapersClifford K. Berryman Digital Collection at the Estelle and Melvin Gelman LibraryBilly Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Art DatabaseClifford K. Berryman Political Cartoon Collection
in the National Archives
Clifford Berryman Cartoon Collection
at the Washington
DC Public Library The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is the public library system for the District of Columbia, in the United States. The system includes 26 individual libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (the DCPL's central libr ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berryman, Clifford K. 1869 births 1949 deaths American editorial cartoonists American Presbyterians Artists from Kentucky People from Boyle County, Kentucky Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning winners The Washington Post people The Washington Star people Burials at Glenwood Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)