I chose cartoon B which after researching from Harper’s weekly website found the title to be called “Every Dog (No distinction of Color) has its day”, by Thomas Nast in 1879. The cartoon features three characters, two main and the other one is in the background. The first character to the right of the image appears to be Chinese because of his facial features and because of his clothing. The man looking over his shoulder, to the left of the image is obviously an American Indian. His head dress, clothing and the weapon in his hand is a dead give away. The third character is sitting in the background with a sign to his left stating, “My day is coming”. He is shaded black, in farmer type of clothing and hat. The dark shading makes him appear he is a negro.(1)
The date of this cartoon became a big help in research because I was able to find that Nast’ cartoon could be a response to the events that took place in 1875 where Congress announced, “regulating immigration were unconstitutional because they were inconsistent with the exclusive power of the U.S. Congress to regulate foreign commerce.” (2) Which would explain the, “The Chinese must Go” sign hanging in the cartoon above the Chinese character. As well as the writings, “Go East” while the “Go West” writings is a response of Americans moving West and taking over Native Indian lands. During this time period, Americans feared immigration, thinking that Asians could effect the American society. Nast’s cartoon is a sarcastic reminder of Americans that they themselves were immigrants or descendants of immigrants. (3.) One obvious symbol is the text written, “The Chinese Problem” and the mentioning of the “Naturalization Laws” and the large print of “Laws providing for their Banishment”. The title, “Every dog(No distinction of color) has its day” is also a clue to the meaning of this cartoon. The “no distinction of color” refers to the fact, it doesn’t matter whether they are black, yellow or red.
Nast intentions were possibly a sarcastic twist of faith that while the United States was proposing eliminating immigration, it was in fact immigration that we were founded upon. Promoting the idea that African Americans would be next, “My day is coming” when they would find a freedom.
1. Thomas, Nast. "Every Dog (No Distinction of Color) has its day." Haper's Weekly. Journal of Civilization. Feburary 8, 1879 (Accessed April 5, 2012). http://ecollege.asu.edu/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=6535434&userid=9107239&sessionid=45bedeea73&tabid=2UhQFWSFEF9qFx7um1jw12DlsCMm6Gzg9YIQwTYfq2UYH4rKHaZBWNMbl3IfKr7t&sessionFirstAuthStore=true&macid=qWI4bMshOpJeHO9zqnlym/1x38YxiKnZhUBZaciOKCyyXoV5mOWlMA6mjaE19P33OcHgRu2dG0vHZg5MtdGaO9Z+TY5eYonRiyEfTyAibwqpu/iVdUed80pTKKUA3HEpKpehkfGAom9UFGI+fQY4FWUNSRf4mUh8vxKlpk57n3Yv/RVftOTiN7axR03SI2MsjrOOmJjdJ4PqXl0my0Ppz9kHxNKRC5x0VC2DpZY4qeM=
2.Bankston, Carl. "History of US Immigration, 1783-1891":In encyclopedia of American Immigration. March 2010. Salem Press. (Accessed April 5, 2012).
.http://salempress.com/store/samples/american_immigration/american_immigration_history.htm
3..Ohio History, "What's so Funny?": In Using Cartoons in the Classroom. (Accessed April 6 2012)http://ohiossrc.org/ode-focus-on-social-studies/whats-so-funny/materials/11.htm
It is interesting to note that Nast addressed the immigration problem back in 1879 and it is still a topic of discussion today. I think you really captured Nast's feeling of irony with the majority of Americans being either immigrants or descendants of immigrants.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that for now, the African' Americans are in the background, so to speak, he's physically in the background looking unworried in the cartoon, as the focus is on the "Chinese Problem." His time will come, could refer to the civil rights movement, or it could refer to further persecution and blame African Americans will experience once the focus comes back on them. Great post! I enjoyed reading your interpretation of Nast's cartoon on immigration issues more than 130 years later.
Nast is certainly pointing out the irony of Americans being immigrants, save the indigenous peoples, trying to kick out other immigrants that showed up late to the lunch line so to speak.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I didn't see mentioned was the cartoon in the background that shows a locomotive chasing a native American that reads "go west" and a locomotive being followed by the Chinese man that reads "go east". To me this signifies an other irony.
The immigration issue was only exacerbated by the construction of the railroad. The railroad constructed from east to west had a workforce made up of a large number of Irish immigrants. On the west the railroad workforce had a large number of Chinese immigrants. This spread these "foreigners" from sea to shining sea.
The construction of coast to coast railroad was an enormous undertaking, comparable in scope to the construction of the Great Wall in China, or the Pyramids in Egypt. Like the ancient empires we emulated with monumental construction we relied on the blood, sweat, and labor of lower caste peoples. The Irish and Chinese immigrants in the late 19th-century were nothing more than glorified slaves. With the completion of the railroad we no longer wanted the "undesirables" in our mists. They had served there purpose and it was time to remove them.
It would be a crime not to point out the parallels from this cartoon to our own time. Many Americans today also forget that they to have an ancestral origin not of this hemisphere. My own family arrived in Massachusetts in 1670's for England and although I've had a blood relative on this continent for over 300 years it does not make me a native of this land. Others in this country are more likely only one or two generations removed from their immigrant background. Yet we still forget this and we still oppress the next wave of immigrants, like popcorn and movie theaters its an American pastime that is hard to move beyond.