Statement from The Herb Block Foundation

“If the prime role of a free press is to serve as critic of the government, cartooning is often the cutting edge of that criticism.” Herblock

The Herb Block Foundation is shaken to see the continued disappearance of the staff positions of editorial cartoonists at newspapers and the lack of regard for their importance. An editorial cartoon gives readers a quick and informative point of view on current events that provokes its audience. The format of an editorial cartoon has evolved from Herblock’s black and white single panel image and will continue to evolve but the value of its expression has not. The Herb Block Foundation supports all editorial cartoons and cartoonists and encourages readers to vocalize their appreciation.

As Herblock said “A wide range of work comes under the heading of editorial or political cartooning today, including gag cartoons on current topics. I enjoy many of these and usually put some fun into my work. But I still feel that the political cartoon should have a view to express, that it should have some purpose beyond the chuckle. So what I’m talking about here is the cartoon as an opinion medium.”

In response to the news that McClatchy publishing company is laying off three Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonists and to an article about the Washington Post editorial page, we put out this statement below.

In Foundation News - https://www.herbblockfoundation.org/foundation/foundation-news