UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries’ Eberly Family Special Collections is hosting a new digital exhibition titled "The World According to Doyle: Editorial Cartoons from The Jerry Doyle Papers at Penn State."
Taking an expansive view of American politics during the 20th century, the digital exhibition examines the work of one of the pre-eminent editorial cartoonists of the time. Jerry Doyle (1898-1986), a native Philadelphian and self-taught graphic illustrator, penned daily cartoons for the Philadelphia Record and the Philadelphia Daily News from the mid-1930s to the early 1980s. His cartoons and illustrations also graced the pages of some of the nation’s leading magazines — Collier’s, Time, and The Saturday Evening Post.
Presenting various archival materials, the digital exhibition includes and provides historical and cultural context for cartoons and illustrations, photographs, and correspondence from U.S. presidents and prominent state and national legislators, many responding in praise or anger to Doyle’s blunt and uncompromising take on the politics of the day.
“As a digital exhibition, 'The World According to Jerry Doyle' will connect with a broader audience beyond Penn State, sharing original materials online for visitors to discover and experience wherever they are across the commonwealth and around the world,” said Jennifer Meehan, head of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library.
In the mid-1930s Doyle was one of the earliest editorial cartoonists to take a bold stand against the rise of Hitler, fascism and antisemitism. In doing so, he faced the wrath of the German American Bund, the American First Committee and the Ku Klux Klan. His vast cartoon portfolio covered political corruption and Watergate, the Civil Rights Era, the Cold War, countless legislative battles and election cycles, international crises, and economic, environmental, and social justice issues.
The exhibition draws upon the approximately 1300 original ink-and-pen cartoons that comprise the Jerry Doyle Papers, generously donated by the Lawlor-Doyle families and stewarded by the Eberly Family Special Collections Library. In addition to being available as part of Penn State Libraries’ Digital Collections, the cartoons have been described by G. Johns, Metadata Specialist in Special Collections and added to the Digital Public Library of America. There the works are searchable by subjects, including African Americans – Suffrage; Civil rights workers; Discrimination in housing; Health and social policy; Human rights; Labor unions and employees; and Race relations, among others.
Jim Quigel, curator of historical collections and labor archives, sees the exhibition as another pathway for engaging students and researchers with Doyle’s intellectual and artistic legacy, saying, “Doyle’s archived editorial cartoon portfolio constitutes an historical barometer of the transformative social, political and cultural shifts in America and abroad over the span of nearly six decades.” Cameron Cook, the current Stelts-Filippelli Curatorial Intern in Special Collections, helped to design and build the website for the exhibition.
The new exhibition complements a full slate of digital projects and exhibitions related to materials held in Special Collections, including "#LovecraftCountry," which pairs historical, literary, and cultural events presented in the HBO show with published and primary sources focused on Black and LGBTQIA+ creators and experiences, and "Celebrating the ADA: The Legacy and Evolution of Disability Rights & Lived Experience at Penn State," which explores the first 100 years of national disability rights movements and their impact on the Penn State community. For a complete list of current digital exhibitions and projects, visit the Special Collections Library Digital Projects and Exhibits page.
For more information, including tour requests and questions about accommodations provided for this exhibition, contact Clara Drummond, curator and exhibitions coordinator, at cjd86@psu.edu or call the Special Collections Library reference desk at 814-865-1793.