August 5, 2003 Library of Congress Acquires Art Wood Collection of Cartoon, Comic Strip and Animation Art

WHAT: Presentation on the Library’s acquisition of more than 30,000 original political cartoons, comic strips, animation cels and illustrator’s drawings from the collection of award-winning political cartoonist J. Arthur Wood Jr. Works from the collection will be on display and digital images will be available to the press. Continental breakfast will be served.

WHEN: 11 a.m., Tuesday, August 26

WHERE: Whittall Pavilion, Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C.

WHO: James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, J. Arthur Wood Jr., political cartoonist

BACKGROUND

Wood’s world-class collection spans three centuries and encompasses a vast and comprehensive array of original historical political cartoons, caricatures, comic strips, humor cartoons, illustrations and animation cels. The Art Wood Collection contains numerous "firsts," "earliests," and "one-of-a-kind" pieces, many of which have been included in major museum exhibitions and historical publications. A portion of the collection was donated to the Library, and the balance of the acquisition was made possible in part by a generous contribution from H. Fred Krimendahl II, a member of the James Madison Council, the Library’s private-sector advisory group.