“Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns, and the Cartoons of Clifford Berryman” Exhibit

Connecticut’s Old State House will host “Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns, and Cartoons of Clifford Berryman.” Election season in the modern era elicits a barrage of amusing and pointed memes – but historically, editorial cartoons have swayed opinions and helped shape elections for generations! Clifford Berryman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist with The Washington Star and The Washington Post, produced almost daily cartoons for over 50 years – from 1896 to 1949.

Unlike any other form of political commentary, cartoons show altered physical traits and highlight minute details to make a specific point. With simple pen strokes, they foreshadow the future, poke fun at the past, and imply hidden motives in ways that elude written or spoken reporting. This unique exhibit features a series of pen & ink drawings to highlight the timeless aspects of US campaigns and election processes. Running for Office was created by the National Archives with the support of the Foundation for the National Archives and organized for travel by Humanities Texas, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This exhibit is part of Connecticut’s Old State House “Go Big. Vote Local.” Series. Visit ctoldstatehouse.org for details about the series and other programs and events.