Charles Henry Sykes cartoon collection

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Commonwealth University, Cabell Library
James Branch Cabell Library
Virginia Commonwealth University
P.O. Box 842003
901 Park Avenue
Richmond, VA 23284-2003
Contact for questions and access:
POC: SCA Staff
Phone: (804) 828-1108
Fax: (804) 828-0151
Restrictions:

Collection is open to research.

Preferred citation:

Charles Henry Sykes Cartoon Collection, Accession #M 169, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

Summary

Extent:
303 Items
Creator:
Sykes, Charles Henry
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Charles Henry Sykes Cartoon Collection, Accession #M 169, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of 297 original cartoons, 4 unfinished sketches, a U.S. war Bond poster, and a U.S. Victory poster by Sykes that were acquired 1980-82. Many of the cartoons appeared in the Philadelphia Evening Ledger and illustrate the events of the1940s. A number of them represent the American reaction to the aggressions of the Axis powers before the U.S. entry into World War II. Other issues represented include: John L. Lewis, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania politics, Turner-Kilroy Bill, coal miner strikes, weather and baseball.

Biographical / historical:

Charles Henry "Bill" Sykes (1882 1942) graduated from Drexel Institute in 1904. For a short time he did free lance art work and then was employed by the Philadelphia North American, the Williamsport News, and the Nashville Banner. In 1911, he returned to Philadelphia to work for the Philadelphia Public Ledger. In 1914, he became the first and only editorial cartoonist employed by the Evening Public Ledger, which ceased publication in 1942. Until he died later in that year, Sykes, who smoked four packages of cigarettes a day, received a commission to draw a series of anti-smoking advertisements. From 1922 to 1928, he was the regular editorial cartoonist for Life, producing full-page weekly editorial cartoons. In addition, during that time, Skyes inherited the weekly and annual cartoon roundup of news subjects upon the death of F. T. Richards. His most famous cartoon "Madonna and Child A. D. 1940" depicts the ugliness of war; the image shows a mother and child wearing gas masks.

Skyes created his early cartoons using the unusual patterns of coquille board for the shading effect. His later works were created with a crayon and wash technique. He was well known for his amiable style of cartooning. His cartoons were usually funny, filled with delightfully distorted figures while offering his unique perspective on the current news events.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Mr. John M. Sykes on 20 December 1980.
Arrangement:

The cartoons are arranged in folders in the oversize drawer 36.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard