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Political Cartoon Analysis

Directions

Analyze the cartoons in terms of their relation to the Brown v. Board of Education case.

  1. What do you see in the cartoon? Make a list.  
  2. Which of the items on the list from Question 1 are symbols? What does each stand for? 
  3. What is the artist's message in the cartoons? Is there a political bias in the cartoons? Who would agree with the message? Who would disagree?

Cartoon 1

Chronicle (San Francisco), May 18, 1954. Reproduced with permission.

Cartoon 2

Democrat (Arkansas), May 22, 1954. Reproduced with permission.

Cartoon 3

Defender (Chicago), June 12, 1954. Reproduced with permission.

Cartoon 4

Afro-American (Richmond), May 22, 1954. Reproduced with permission.

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