Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Mauldin Cartoon Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0307
Creators:
Mauldin, Bill, 1921-2003
Dates:
1946-1987
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
8 Cubic feet
20 boxes
Repository:
Collection is believed to contain all of Mauldin's published cartoons from 1946 to 1987; also periodical and newspaper articles about and by Mauldin, personal items, including his genealogy, and an original sketchbook used by Mauldin while he was in Vietnam, February 1965.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection contains newspaper clippings or photocopies of Mauldin's published cartoons from 1946 to 1987. Some of his most famous cartoons from World War II were reprised during this time. Newspaper and magazine articles written and/or illustrated by Mauldin are also included as are magazine covers and a Vietnam sketchbook containing pen and ink renderings of battle scenes observed by Mauldin during a visit. Other documents include correspondence, a number of articles written about Mauldin, his genealogy and photographs of his family. Some correspondence and drawings by Mauldin's friend, artist Mailton Caniff are also included.
Series 1, Artwork and Articles, 1946-1987, include published material written or drawn by Mauldin and is arranged in chronological order.
Subseries 1, Cartoons, 1946-1987, consists of clippings and draft submissions of published cartoons and are arranged in chronological order.
Subseries 2, Articles Written by Mauldin, 1947-1982, consists of clippings and drafts of newspaper and magazine articles and is arranged in chronological order.
Subseries 3, Articles Illustrated by Mauldin, 1948-1970, consists of illustrations arranged chronologically.
Subseries 4, Related Materials, 1961-1968, consists of magazine covers, sketches and a map to his wedding and is arranged in alphabetical order.
Series 2, Biographical Information, 1947-1968; undated, includes articles written about Mauldin, biography, some correspondence and reviews of and advertisements for his books. The materials are arranged in alphabetical order.
Series 3, Other Artwork, 1948-1960, include clippings of drawings by Milton Caniff and some miscellaneous material. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series:
Series 1, Artwork and Articles, 1946–1987
Subseries 1.1, Cartoons, 1946-1987
Subseries 1.2, Articles Written by Mauldin, 1947-1982
Subseries 1.3, Articles Illustrated by Mauldin, 1948-1970
Subseries 1.4, Related Materials, 1961-1968
Series 2, Biographical Information, 1947-1968; undated
Series 3, Other Artwork, 1948-1960

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
William Henry (Bill) Mauldin, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning military and political cartoonist, was born in Mountain Park, New Mexico in 1921. He studied for a year at the Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago and did some freelance cartooning before World War II. He joined the Arizona National Guard and when the war broke out he was activated and became a cartoonist for the 45th Infantry Division newspaper, and later for Stars and Stripes, a newspaper written for and distributed to GI's. It was for the Stars and Stripes that he created his two most famous characters. Willie and Joe were two dog faced infantrymen whose exploits reflected Mauldin's first hand observations of combat (he was awarded the purple heart) and the anxieties and frustrations that confronted Americans in a combat zone. His cartoons were the most popular pinups in tents and barracks along with photos of movie stars. Many of the Army's leaders, including General Patton, didn't like the disrespectful tone of some of the cartoons, but General Eisenhower did, so they continued to be published.
After the war he drew political cartoons, first for United Feature Syndicates then for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and then for the Chicago Sun Times. They ranged in subject from local matters to international politics. He was a master satirist who could find the cracks in any idol be it democratic (Kennedy), republican (Eisenhower) or demagogue (De Gaulle).
Mauldin wrote newspaper and magazine articles, some on contemporary life and politics, and some based on his visits to war zones in Korea, the Mid-East and Vietnam. He wrote a number of books including Up Front which was made into a movie.

Administration

Author
Frank R. Jenkins
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center from the Archives of American Art, SI.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Alice R. Colquitt, on March 10, 1988.
Processing Information
Processed by Frank R. Jenkins, volunteer, 2003; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, archivist, 2003.

Digital Content

More …

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Preferred Citation
Mauldin Cartoon Collection, 1946-1987, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Clippings -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cartoonists Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks -- 1940-1990 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence -- 1940-1990 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Genealogies Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
World War, 1939-1945 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Korean War, 1950-1953 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arizona Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vietnam Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Personal papers -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Political cartoons -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cartoons (humorous images) -- 1930-1960 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Chicago Sun-Times Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives of American Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu