New York Almanack

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Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Thomas Nast & Chinese American History

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Postcard of Mott Street, Chinatown late-19th century, published by Brown BrothersMigration from Asia to the United States was minimal before the 1800s, but facing poverty and political instability large numbers of Chinese residents began looking a better life in the West from the 1840s onward.

Many would escape the Taiping Rebellion, a large-scale civil war that had started in 1850. Lasting for fourteen years, violence and persecution encompassed much of Southern China, pushing citizens away from their traditional homes. [Read more…] about Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Thomas Nast & Chinese American History

OZmosis: A Compendium of The Wizard of Oz’s Artistic Influence

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OZmosis: The Enduring Popularity & Artistic Influence of The Wizard of OzNew York native Frank Baum‘s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been inspiring artists – filmmakers, political cartoonists, poets, sculptors, songwriters – for more than 100 years.

OZmosis: The Enduring Popularity & Artistic Influence of The Wizard of Oz (2025) by Noel Holston collects and annotates works from tin-can sculpture to movie musicals. It’s an illuminating and amusing compendium. [Read more…] about OZmosis: A Compendium of The Wizard of Oz’s Artistic Influence

The Subway Sun: Advertising Public Health & Safety

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Amelia Opdyke Jones, Subway Sun Rockaways subway A Train advertisement, ca 1950 (New York Transit Museum)Over five decades, The Subway Sun advised, informed, and admonished New York subway riders – encouraging civility, safety, cleanliness, and pride in their city and its mass transit rail system.

Designed to resemble the front page of a newspaper, The Subway Sun quickly became a part of daily life for millions of riders. Initially, the posters were text-based and emphasized the benefits and conveniences of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) system, as well as announced schedule, fare, and safety information. [Read more…] about The Subway Sun: Advertising Public Health & Safety

Anglo-American Nationalisms: The Idiom of the Stomach

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James Kirke PauldingAuthor and public servant James Kirke Paulding was born on August 22, 1779, in Great Nine Partners along the Hudson River in Dutchess County, NY, at the height of the American Revolution. His family was forced to take refuge from British invaders in Westchester County, returning after peace was declared.

James’s father William was an active patriot and from him he inherited strong anti-English sentiments. He would become one of the first distinctively American writers who vigorously argued the case against intellectual or artistic servitude towards Britain. [Read more…] about Anglo-American Nationalisms: The Idiom of the Stomach

Upstate Cartoonist Marks Major Milestone ‘Close To Home’

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McPherson's Close to Home 30th AnniversaryHere’s some great news for all Close to Home fans. John McPherson’s latest book, The Close To Home 30th Anniversary Treasury, will be released by Andrews McMeel Publishing on September 24th. This milestone volume includes more than 800 comics chosen by the Saratoga cartoonist and his editors as well as an instructive glimpse at how McPherson actually creates his cartoons.

Since the first Close To Home panel debuted on October 7, 1992, its rise to fame has been nothing short of meteoric with readers of all ages enjoying McPherson’s quirky characters and offbeat, insightful humor. Today, this popular cartoon, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate (UPS), appears in roughly 750 newspapers. [Read more…] about Upstate Cartoonist Marks Major Milestone ‘Close To Home’

La Guardia’s Stunts: Prohibition, His Airport, and the Sunday Funnies

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Mayor La Guardia reads the comics to New York's children over WNYC during the newspaper delivermen's strike of July 1945 (New York Public Radio Archives)New York State history is full of exciting characters who made a real difference in our historical development.

One of the most colorful is Fiorello La Guardia (1882-1947) who served in the Army air corps in the First World War, and later as a member of Congress (1923-1933) and Mayor of New York City (1933-1946). [Read more…] about La Guardia’s Stunts: Prohibition, His Airport, and the Sunday Funnies

Thomas Nast vs Boss Tweed

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Morgan James Publishing has announced a new book on the Tammany Hall – Thomas Nast conflict titled Doomed by Cartoon: How Cartoonist Thomas Nast and the New York Times Brought Down Boss Tweed and His Ring of Thieves (by John Adler and Draper Hill). According to a recent press release: [Read more…] about Thomas Nast vs Boss Tweed

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