Maurice Pennington was a photographer and cartoonist for The Atlanta Inquirer during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. A talented multimedia artist, Pennington documented the boycotts, sit-ins, and the arrests of students, commenting critically on the political and social climate in Atlanta through cartoons - skewering local politicians, admonishing Black leaders for their accommodationist views, and reminding his audience of the incompatibility of segregation and democracy. All works in this collection either are protected by copyright or are the property of the Robert W. Woodruff Library, and/or the copyright holder as appropriate. To order a reproduction or to inquire about permission to publish, please contact the Archives Research Center at: archives@auctr.edu with the web URL or handle identification number.
Mar 23, 2020

Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection

Maurice Pennington was a photographer and cartoonist for The Atlanta Inquirer during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. A talented multimedia artist, Pennington documented the boycotts, sit-ins, and the arrests of students, commenting critically on the political and social climate in Atlanta through cartoons - skewering local politicians, admonishing Black leaders for their accommodationist views, and reminding his audience of the incompatibility of segregation and democracy.

All works in this collection either are protected by copyright or are the property of the Robert W. Woodruff Library, and/or the copyright holder as appropriate. To order a reproduction or to inquire about permission to publish, please contact the Archives Research Center at: archives@auctr.edu with the web URL or handle identification number.
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A man representing a Confederate stabs Lady Liberty with a sword labeled "Segregation". Written on recto: "Take That Y'u Foreigner".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Take That Y'u Foreigner", circa 1962
Date Created
1961/1963
Description
A man representing a Confederate stabs Lady Liberty with a sword labeled "Segregation". Written on recto: "Take That Y'u Foreigner".
Subject
African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, African Americans--Segregation, Art, Race discrimination
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
View of a white man firing an African American porter at a downtown store where other African Americans protest outside holding signs that read "No Jim Crow". Written on recto: "You're Fired!".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"You're Fired!", circa 1962
Date Created
1961/1963
Description
View of a white man firing an African American porter at a downtown store where other African Americans protest outside holding signs that read "No Jim Crow". Written on recto: "You're Fired!".
Subject
Demonstrations, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, Race discrimination, African Americans--Employment
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A diverse group of men including a businessman, pastor, and construction worker, hold signs that read: "United For Freedom". Written on recto: Community Effort.
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Community Effort", circa 1962
Date Created
1961/1963
Description
A diverse group of men including a businessman, pastor, and construction worker, hold signs that read: "United For Freedom". Written on recto: Community Effort.
Subject
African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
View of a newer house facade with a deteriorating home behind it. Written on recto: "Slums...Beautiful Atlanta"
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Beautiful Atlanta", circa 1962
Date Created
1960/1964
Description
View of a newer house facade with a deteriorating home behind it. Written on recto: "Slums...Beautiful Atlanta"
Subject
Art, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
Ivan Allen Jr. jumps on a pogo stick across a checkered floor marked with various political decisions: "For County Unit System", "Quit That", "Quit This", "Change of Heart", "Relocate All Negroes". "For Police State", "Running For Mayor", "Social Conscienceless or Consciousness??", "Not for Governor", and "For Governor".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Pogo Stick Allen", circa 1961
Date Created
1960/1962
Description
Ivan Allen Jr. jumps on a pogo stick across a checkered floor marked with various political decisions: "For County Unit System", "Quit That", "Quit This", "Change of Heart", "Relocate All Negroes". "For Police State", "Running For Mayor", "Social Conscienceless or Consciousness??", "Not for Governor", and "For Governor".
Subject
Race relations, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, Mayors
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A white man symbolizing Atlanta Negro Voters' League with an "I'm for Ivan [Allen Jr.]" button force-feeds an African American man symbolizing "Negro Voters" medicine from a bottle marked "Political Decision".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Negro Voters", circa 1961
Date Created
1960/1962
Description
A white man symbolizing Atlanta Negro Voters' League with an "I'm for Ivan [Allen Jr.]" button force-feeds an African American man symbolizing "Negro Voters" medicine from a bottle marked "Political Decision".
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, Voting
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A nurse carries a large package labeled "Hospital Overload" while a man labeled "Hospital Officials" sits on top with a whip.
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Hospital Overload", circa 1961
Date Created
1960/1962
Description
A nurse carries a large package labeled "Hospital Overload" while a man labeled "Hospital Officials" sits on top with a whip.
Subject
African American women, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, African Americans--Health and hygiene
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A man symbolizing the Student-Adult Committee [Atlanta Student Movement] sits at a switchboard labeled "Ever-Ready". The labels on the switchboard read: "Equal Rights", "Employment", "School Desegregation", "Sit-Ins", "Lunch Counters", and "Boycott". Written on recto: "Lines of Communication Open".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Lines of Communication Open", circa 1960
Date Created
1959/1961
Description
A man symbolizing the Student-Adult Committee [Atlanta Student Movement] sits at a switchboard labeled "Ever-Ready". The labels on the switchboard read: "Equal Rights", "Employment", "School Desegregation", "Sit-Ins", "Lunch Counters", and "Boycott". Written on recto: "Lines of Communication Open".
Subject
African Americans--Segregation, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Employment, African American student movements
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A wealthy Black man knocks on a back side alley door marked "Downtown Luxury Store - Colored Customers", while the man's chauffeur looks on in disgrace. Written on recto: "Some People Never Learn".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Some People Never Learn", circa 1960
Date Created
1959/1961
Description
A wealthy Black man knocks on a back side alley door marked "Downtown Luxury Store - Colored Customers", while the man's chauffeur looks on in disgrace. Written on recto: "Some People Never Learn".
Subject
African Americans--Social conditions, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, African Americans--Segregation, Race discrimination, African Americans--Economic conditions
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A young man labeled "Negro Pupils" stands freezing in the snow in tattered clothes chained to a ball marked "Segregation". Just out of reach is a fire burning with fuel logs labeled as "Transportation", "Trade and Industrial Training", "Libraries", "County Funds", and Maintenance". Written on recto: "Held Back".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Held Back", circa 1960
Date Created
1959/1961
Description
A young man labeled "Negro Pupils" stands freezing in the snow in tattered clothes chained to a ball marked "Segregation". Just out of reach is a fire burning with fuel logs labeled as "Transportation", "Trade and Industrial Training", "Libraries", "County Funds", and Maintenance". Written on recto: "Held Back".
Subject
African Americans--Segregation, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, African Americans--Education, African American students
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A white farmer representing "Union County" and Uncle Sam holding papers reading "Sinking U.S. Prestige Report" turn an African American military worker and a maid away from an area marked federal land. Written on recto: "Git!".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"Git!", circa 1960
Date Created
1959/1961
Description
A white farmer representing "Union County" and Uncle Sam holding papers reading "Sinking U.S. Prestige Report" turn an African American military worker and a maid away from an area marked federal land. Written on recto: "Git!".
Subject
African Americans--Housing, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, Armed Forces, Race discrimination
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
A man symbolizing "You" stands in between campaign posters for John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Written on recto: "The Man or the Party?".
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection
"The Man or the Party?", circa 1960
Date Created
1959/1961
Description
A man symbolizing "You" stands in between campaign posters for John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Written on recto: "The Man or the Party?".
Subject
Voting, African Americans--Politics and government, Political cartoons, Art, Political participation
Collection
Maurice Pennington Political Cartoon Collection