Clifford Kennedy Berryman was a Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist with The Washington Star newspaper from 1907 to 1949. He was previously a cartoonist for The Washington Post 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, 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., and President Harry S. Truman once told him, "You are ageless and timeless. Presidents, senators and even Supreme Court justicescome and go, but the Monument and Berryman stand." Berryman's cartoons can be found at the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and George Washington University, 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 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 Post's 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; 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, The Post printed Berryman's classic illustration "Remember the Maine," 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 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. 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 and served as the president in 1926. He drew political cartoons for the Star until his death in 1949.
In 1944, Berryman was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning 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.
