Thomas Nast: The Power of a Pen and the Art of Political Influence

Thomas Nast, revered as the “Father of the American Cartoon,” was a German immigrant whose family fled to America in 1840 after his father incurred the wrath of the Bavarian Government. Never a good student, young Nast was recognized at an early age as an artistic prodigy. By the age of 16, his drawings were already appearing in newspapers; by 18, his cartoons were appearing in the prestigious “Harper’s Weekly.” His political cartoons embodied the phrase, “A picture is worth 10,000 words.” A strong moralist and the scourge of crooked politicians, he gained praise from the tenements of New York to the White House while championing the rights of minorities. Nast’s drawings were the chief source of news for Americans during the Civil War, and he is regarded as perhaps the chief influencer of American thought in the late 19th century. He also had a whimsical side, creating the popular…